Not Quite Chris
by FanFicCity
Summary: In a new, formidable demons insatiable quest to destroy the Halliwells- which sees Chris' cruel kidnap, dark secrets revealed and worst Nightmares faced- he realizes that he may have underestimated how far Chris and the Charmed Ones will go to win the looming war. The new 'big bad' and his right-hand man stand no chance against the Halliwell's. REV? *COMPLETE. With sequel* :-)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **This chapter isn't the most interesting, since it just sets the scene. The adventure hots up at chapter 2 (especially for Chris, who gets himself in a bit of trouble straight away, of course!). I hope Charmed fans will enjoy this fic, written by a keen Charmed (and Chris!) fan.

The story is set just after Chris' motives for coming to the past are revealed as not to protect Wyatt from danger, but to protect from his being turned. No-one knows Chris' true identity. Yet.

Please review if you like (or even if you don't!)

:-)

**Not Quite Chris**

**Prologue**

...Falling. Then, all of a sudden, Chris felt pain like lightning through his side and felt mud on his cheek, cold and reassuring. With painstaking effort, he dared to open his eyes a crack to see the Beast, thrashing and convulsing violently, it's entire body in a grotesque state of spasm. It's neck was streaming with a frightening purple liquid as poisoned water spits from a fountain, and was bent at a horridly acute angle. Eyes diluted in agony, the beast collapsed into a mutilated heap on the ground, and was instantly engulfed by the sea of silver flames which was streaming from the Charmed Ones bloody hands; the ones that weren't intertwined with each others.

As Chris finally gave into the agonizing mixture of pain and relief and began to close his aching eyes, his final glimpse of the scene was the ground, soaked purple with the super-natural blood, and lit up like a jewel in the light of the emerging sun.

**Chapter One**

Chris glared determinedly at the Book whilst easily flicking his finger, each subtle movement sending a page fluttering lightly over to the next tedious page, and the next, and the next...

This method of searching had become very tiresome to him very fast, but he was reassured by the knowledge that this had to be done in order to ever accomplish what he'd set out to do; save Wyatt, the little baby turn evil dictator who's innocent little cries Chris was listening to at that very moment from down-stairs. _Save Wyatt_ _from who?_ Chris irritably asked himself for the umpteenth time. Who the hell knew? That was why Chris was stood here, once again, in the Halliwell attic, probably gathering as much dust as the antique furniture scattered about the deceptively ordinary room.

Chris was just about to call it a day, and had already resolved in his mind that he would have a quick break- maybe in his isolated room in P3 away from all the annoying baby screaming- when the door clicked open and Piper strode in, her wide eyes searching, then settling on Chris.

"Oh," she stated, without eye contact, in a tone which made it evident that her mind was preoccupied.

Chris arched an eyebrow in reply, that being the only possible reply to _that_ greeting anyway, and continued his monotonous activity. Piper proceeded to shuffling about the room, lifting ornaments and bending to peek behind boxes. The frown that disrupted her sculpted face with it's crease told Chris that she wasn't getting anywhere.

"Looking for something?" He inquired softly.

"Oh, just Wyatts teddy bear. Y'know, the one with the blue bow-tie on it" Her voice came out muffled from where she was crouched behind the couch, from behind which hasty clattering could be heard. "He's never shown any interest in that bear until now. Phoebe says he wants it, and, of course, Phoebe now knows everything about everyone with her new empath powers, but I just can't..." When Piper's head popped up from behind the couch, rather flushed-looking, she paused her rambling. Chris' arm was stuck out, the battered old teddy in his hand.

Piper sighed heavily and dragged herself to Chris, who offered her the teddy. She took it from him and just stared at it, her gaze as glassy as the beaded one gazing back.

"I suppose this is just one of the many ways you will be saving Wyatt from now on, then." Piper stated bitterly.

That hurt. Chris had been aware that his revelation of the fact that he'd come back from the future to prevent Wyatt from becoming the master of all evil had had an effect on Piper- that was understandable- but the effect had been worse than Chris had expected. Not mere hate and frustration, but complete and utter deflation. Piper had been zombie-like these past few days, detaching herself from the rest of the family and submerging herself in motherhood. She'd especially been venomous towards Chris.

"From now on? This has been my aim since I came here. Protect Wyatt. You just didn't know about it." Chris brushed off softly.

"You mean _you_ just didn't tell us." She countered.

Pipers intense eyes bore into his equally intense sea-green ones for a few seconds, until, at the same time, Chris nervously shifted his gaze and Piper dejectedly dropped hers.

At that moment, Paige burst in, followed keenly by Phoebe, and Chris thanked God that with their enthusiastic presence, the awkward atmosphere seemed to drift away.

"Howdy-do you two. Sorry to intrude on this love-fest, but we have some daemon-bashing to do." Paige announced, taking Chris' place before the Book and beginning to flick through it's browning pages, "Y'know, I think I'll give up on 'Howdy-do'. It just _does not _work for me."

"Deamon? What daemon?" Chris instantly asked, urgency and volume having been added to his voice.

"Tut tut Chris, you're neurotic's showing." Paige smirked.

"Ha. Funny. Phoebe?" Chris turned helplessly to the middle sister, aware that he _was_ in fact being neurotic _again_, but shoving it aside as an annoying habit acquired from the unstable life that he'd lead and the urgency of his situation.

"Well, we just found out that this prolonged period of daemon silence isn't just random good luck like we'd put it down to." Chris cringed in apprehension as Phoebe spoke, "It's apparently got something to do with a demonic plot."

"What do you mean?" Piper pursued.

"Well, the deamon that's on-to us must be pretty well known, well feard and well trusted to get the job done, because, apparently, all the other deamons are _waiting_ for him to... well... make his move on us." Phoebe finished.

"Who told you this? Oh, yeah, of course." Piper sighed, still sensitive on the whole Leo/Elder subject which had ended in her husband being stolen from her.

"Yeah. The Elders heard about it so Leo let us know. Just now actually. He's down there with Wyatt, cheering him up."

"Guess I won't be needing this then." Piper flung the little blue-bowed teddy bear onto the couch. It's loose, plastic eyes almost looked sad about the rejection. Chris knew the feeling.

"Any leads?" Chris asked, looking over Paige's shoulder at the Book.

"Nooope...Well, we know, or can assume anyway, that it's and upper level daemon with a reputation around the Underworld. Makes sense, right?"

"Chris, would you happen to know any deamon who'd fit the bill?" Piper asked. Chris had to give her her due; she had at least tried to hide the accusation in her voice. That, at least, softened the blow. _Yes_, Chris had demonic connections and _yes_, this was yet another reason not to trust him.

"Know _of_, maybe. But c'mon, that description is kinda loose." He paused. "I guess I can think of a few in particular, though."

"Well, go have a nose around the Underworld first, to be sure. See what you can hear. Meanwhile..." Pheobe span on her heel to leave, "_I _will go see if Leo can enlighten us some more."

"Oh, that's right. Leave us with all the heavy lifting," Paige joked wryly as Phoebe fluttered out. _Fluttered_. That was the only word Chris could think of to perfectly describe all of Phoebes actions. She seemed to have a purposeful, yet delicate way of doing things. Much like her daughter had.

"Chris," Pipers voice roused him from his thoughts "You'd better get going."

"Oh. Yeah." Chris sheepishly stepped back and was instantly awash in bouncing blue lights, that fell like glowing dust partials away from his body until he was no longer present.

Piper gazed at him as he orbed away, his head bowed, and she continued to gaze at the place he had stood, absorbed in thoughts of her own. To pick a prominent few: _how can it be true that my precious baby boy will turn out to be evil? _and, _why does Chris care about saving him when he could just as easily _kill _him? Assuming he's telling the truth anyway! _These thoughts had been plaguing her mind for the past few days, taunting her, telling her that she was a failure as a person, a witch, a sister, a mother...

"Piper?_ Piper_... You alright?" Paige spoke slowly, concern evident on her face, "Is it Chris? I mean, what he said? Because, I mean, I'm no Phoebe, but I guess you're blaming yourself. And you shouldn't be."

"No. No, of course not," Piper evaded, wishing she could orb away as easily as Chris just had.

"Geez. Why is everyone so serious lately?" Paige complained playfully.

"Everyone except you, right?" Piper grinned at the youngest sister, knowing how serious she could be, but how she was intelligent with her timing.

"Of course. This house needs some cheerfulness. And I am the pure personification of that" Paige said, raising her arms in a dramatic gesture.

Piper smiled. She had to get out of this mood she was in. It just wasn't like her. Renewed with fresh resolution, Piper joined Paige at the Book of Shadows and set her steely determination on the task at hand, as she always did.

Xx

Somewhere in the Underworld, the scene unfolding in the attic of the Halliwell Manor played- the image disorientated, but correct to what was happening- in a pool of unnatural water which, unhindered by gravity, shuddered vertically on one wall of the dank cavern. It's grand scale, which held ample room for the greatest majesty, was spoilt by the air of desolation and festering evil. The only things illuminated by the modest light were the jagged rocks that made up the walls and ceiling, the dusty floor and the pale face of the figure who stood, rooted to the spot, watching.

Slight scuffling could be heard from behind the figure. A much smaller, curled creature, a sad excuse for a man (or man shaped deamon) pathetically dragged his small body, grasping the ground with his stubby fingers, to the ground space near the much mightier daemon.

"S-sir..." The pitiful deamon whined, "will 'e do? The lad? I mean... I- I fink..."

"I_ do not care _what you think, Harekat." The tall deamon snapped. His voice was strained, and although he was obviously confident with what he said, every word sounded painful. Even his face contorted agonisingly with the strain each syllable seemed to take, and contort again when his echo's were spoken back to him.

"Y-yes Sir, 'course,' course, 'course... of course..." his companion stuttered. He didn't dare utter another word. So there was silence.

"However..." The deamon intoned.

More silence. It was that torturous kind of silence that ate up a lesser man's nerves. Harekats, for example.

"However," He finally continued, "you may be correct. In fact, I'd already organised it."

"Oh, oh, oh... Oh yeh Sir. I- I mean, you... _yooou _Sir, are..."

"Oh do _shut up_."

A whimper. Then, more silence.

"Although, bear in mind that I will still perceive this as being you're idea. Which, in turn, makes the consequences that may come out of this, automatically, on you're head. Which would be most regrettable. Do you recall what you're last slip up entailed? What I was forced to do?"

Harekat moaned as he rubbed the swollen stumps where his short, stubby but capable legs used to be.

"Yes." The deamon hissed, eyeing the White-lighter who'd just orbed away from the scene. "Him"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Tiny blue lights scattered about Chris' feet as he appeared on ground that was much drier and dustier than the Halliwell attic's carpet. Well, maybe not dustier. Certainly not _uglier_.

Chris' objective was to intercept local gossip here in the Underworld, and the perfect place to go for this was a popular bar he knew, The Fireball. All the young, hard-headed deamon 'gangstaz' used this place as a hang out, as well as the more formidable individuals who crowded about the bar. All types of daemons came to this place, and all were loaded with the information that passed among peers, so it the perfect place to hit.

Crouching low, Chris dirtied his hands on the floor and spread the mess on his shirt, before running his hands through his hair until it was sufficiantly dishevelled. Now he looked the part. Rounding the corner, Chris eased himslef into a casually defensive gait, eventually coming into line with other daemons on their way to grab a cheap drink, and maybe a cheap fight. Low murmurs were thrown about around him, in deep voices, hissing voices, but Chris didn't look around. He set his sights straight ahead. Soon, he approached the hovel, which had been made a little more hospitable than a lump of dirt with some sloppily placed red lights, which flashed tauntingly. Chris shuddered. He hated coming to the Underworld. The worst years of his life had been spent living down here, suffocated in the darkness, constantly on guard for the knife that someone was just aching to plunge into your back. He should be used to this type of place by now: dangerous and unfriendly. But living at the Halliwell Manor for so long had, admittedly, made him a little weaker and more vulnerable than he had been. He had to get his tough back on.

Inside the pub, somber music played from an ancient looking Jukebox, just loud enough to make no single voice heard; only a quiet melody of rough, incoherent voices was auodiable. Chris was met, for a split second, with green, red and multi-coloured eyes- some threatening faces holding more than one pair- until they finished their assessment and turned away, satisfied. Just as Chris had thought. The mood in the Underworld was uneasy. Most likely due to current words circulating. He had to get into a group if he was to extract any information.

Chris made his way to the bar where a group of deamons were huddled, backs arched so that their faces were defensively close. Chris sat on a seat close- but not too close- to the demonic group, and ordered a drink nonchalantly, subtly craning his neck to try to pick up the odd word. He did. He heard, among unrepeatable curses, the word _defeat, _and the _phrase at long last. _Then he heard _Charmed Ones_, and his head snapped to attention.

"Did you say something about defeating the Charmed Ones?" Chris inquired, trying to look as if he had a right to by deepening his voice and hardening his glare.

A deamon with scales climbing up his neak like a rash and a reptile-like spine ripping from his leather jacket hissed, his wiry tongue dripping with venom. Chris recoiled, disgusted.

"What's it to _you_, boy?" the reptile's muscly looking companion inputted dangerously.

"Me?" Chris straightened up and gestured to himself innocently, "well, I was just interested, that's all. I'm not exactly the Charmed Ones _number one fan_." He tried to sound bitter, letting his words come out slow and tortured.

The group began to open up to Chris, and the burley-looking daemon took a breath to speak, looking like a child about to indulge in some gossip, when the reptile hissed: "_Lies!_"

Chris was just about to get his mean deamon on, when the reptile lifted a crooked finger at the poster-scattered wall behind the bar, a smugly triumphant grin on his slimy face. Chris followed the finger. And gasped. It was _him_. On a giant poster, slapped on the wall next to the glass cabinet. His face was drawn looking bewildered over the bold words '**WANTED** FOR CONSIDERABLE AWARD'.

Chris was suddenly aware of an overwhelming amount of demonic eyes set on him. Out for blood.

Time to go, Chris thought.

He stood up suddenly, but was immediately knocked far back by a startling force. Chris' body whacked the bar, and he heard the smash of glass as he collapsed forcefully- _painfully_- into the glass shelf behind it. His body fell limply to the floor at least a meter below.

Chris struggled to sit up. Fragments of glass had enlodged themselves in his back, and he winced. When he placed his hands on the ground to prop himself up... _Holly hell_! More glass! In his palms, his arms, his legs, his head, sending blood knotting in with his hair in clumps... Chris' vision swam. He tried to orb, but he was met with a powerful block. He groaned.

The barman, whos features Chris couldn't make out in his disorientation, grabbed Chris by the scuff of his shirt and sent him flying over the bar into the crowd of angry daemons. The relentless crowd grabbed at him hungrily, clawing, ripping, biting, yelling...

"Get 'im,"

"Grab 'im,"

"Don't let 'im go,"

"We've _got_ 'im!"

Oh God.

Chris' terror was tenfold. He thrashed and fought like a barbarion, his desperate screams lost in the cacophany of deamonic cries of sick victory. With the unruliness of the attack, however, he managed to fight and claw his way up, until he was hovering above the crowd, like a rock star surfing a particularly riotous crowd. Sheer will to live kept him moving against the blood loss and horrendous pain every time his glass-ridden body came into contact with anything. He elbowed at heads and smashed at skulls, trying to cause some damage and trying- trying _so_ _hard_- to get to the door. Maybe he could just...

A clawed hand the size of Chris' head grabbed roughly at his face, tugging him speedily down through the crowd to the floor, and even before he lost what was left of his consciousness, Chris was plunged into terrifying darkness.

Xx

The Halliwells were gathered in the living-room, Piper and Pheobe sat on the edge of the sofa, Paige pertched on the arm and Leo stood, arms out, gesturing along with his words, addressing them all. It was evening, and the fire omitted heat and light over each focused face, giving Leo their full attention.

"The other Elders say that's all they know, just as it's all I know. That this deamon is causing a stir, getting word around. He's trying to cause a bit of a riot, we think." Leo spoke in that serious, yet assuring tone that the sisters had become so familiar with over all these years. Especially Piper. It was pure _torture_!

"But why? Why bother to cause a stir. Why not just hide away and cackle in his hovel, as is the norm with these daemons?" Paige queried.

"That's anybody's guess." Leo answered. "Maybe he wants something and wants the community to keep a look out. Or maybe he wants a gathering."

"An army?" Pheobe piped up, shaking her head at the words she'd spoken.

"Well, that'd be pretty bad." Paige offered helpfully.

Piper eased herself off of the sofa and strode over to where Wyatt stood, listening intently to the adults discussing. She scooped him up in her arms and smiled at him, even wider when he smiled back sweetly.

"Well," Piper said in her adorable baby voice, "it's just another thing we'll have a whale of a time figuring out, won't we?"

Leo tapped Wyatts miniture nose and cooed "Won't we?_ Won't we_?"

Paige and Pheobe exchanged looks that were a mixture of 'what loving parents' and 'urgh. Sickening'. They giggled lightly.

"Wait," Piper said abruptly, raising an eye-brow and turning to Leo. "Where's Chris?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I forgot to do one of these things, which is advised. I don't own Charmed. Sad, but true. It doesn't detract from the enjoyment I get out of making up their lives, though. Which is a blast!

**Chapter Three**

"Chris? CHRIS!"

Piper paced about the attic, jaw tight, arms seeming uneasy and out-of-place, as was her habit when she was worried.

"Well, he's_ still _not answering me!" Piper announced angrily.

Reassured by Leo telling them that Chris was just doing his job diligently, the Halliwells had all gone to bed, only to awake and find that their neurotic Whitelighter, who usually acted with haste in every mission, had been gone all night. It was now early afternoon, and it was clear that something had gone wrong.

Phoebe took her head from her hands for a second, looking quite weary.

"He's obviously still down there. Otherwise he'd hear or we would at least be able to scry for him. And since that didn't work out, he must be." Phoebe contributed.

"Or," Paige started, then paused to make sure her gaze was serious, "He could be with a daemon. I mean, like, _with_ a daemon."

Looks were scattered, most going to Leo, who openly held the most contempt for Chris. If anyone was going to vehemently voice distrust, it was Leo.

Phoebe sighed.

"No, guys, no." She paused. Then, "realistically? Okay, maybe. But c'mon. Even with the little information we have about him, we know that when we're working, he never lets us down. He works _with_ us. And he even saved Wyatt not too long ago! Wyatt has put his faith in him as a guardian and a friend. He's our Whitelighter. We should be able to do that too, especially in situations like this."

"But Pheobe, we _can't_!" Piper implored dejectedly.

"Well, just for now, let's. We owe him that." Phoebe said testily.

Paige nodded in agreement. She didn't trust Chris whole-heartedly. How could anyone with all the half-truths he dished out? But he'd always tried his best in these deamon situations. And, away from the fact that he was constantly on edge, causing him to always be on the Halliwells cases, Chris was good. He seemed good, at least. Humorously sarcastic (verging on annoying), insecure, witty, unwavering, soulful. These were words which Paige associated with Chris. Evil? Not so much,

"Something's had to have gone wrong." Paige announced.

Just then, all heads whipped round as a crashing came from downstairs.

Everyone froze.

"Daemon?" Paige anxiously questioned.

As one, Leo and Paige grabbed at the Halliwell closest as the silvery-blue orbs encased them all.

Appearing in the kitchen, all heads whipped around the room and the group spread, scanning every corner, arms put in front of them rigidly in case of attack.

"_Chris!_"Came Pheobes startled cry from the conservatory.

The others rushed to Pheobe, and set their eyes instead on Chris, who was propping himself up unsteadily on the mantle, the broken shards of the china vase on the floor along with the mud and spoilt flowers. His head rolled and blood dropped from his forehead like sweat.

Leo and Pheobe rushed to aid Chris, who was bloodied and swollen, over to the couch, where he sank and blinked rapidly, trying to focus his sight on something.

"Chris? God, what happened?" Pheobe took a blood-soaked palm and held it tight, with the intention of giving comfort, not receiving a premonition.

Leo immediately began to heal, a warm glow erupting from his own palm, restoring the light to Chris' eyes and taking away the wounds. Chris groaned wearily.

"I'll grab some water." Piper rushed off.

"Thanks. And thank you Leo." Chris struggled to sit up, rubbing vigorously at his eyes.

"Tell us what happened," Piper ordered, setting the water down on the glass table before Chris.

Chris took a deep, shuddering breath, blinking away his fatigue.

"I was attacked." He bowed his head.

The group waited, giving Chris the time he needed. He breathed once. Again.

"It's why I took so long. I was hanging around the centre of a conjunction between lairs, deciding what route to take, when some Sneer Daemons spotted me. I asked them about the rumours. They had no idea. A crowd started to gather. No-one had any idea what I was talking about. Then they just... attacked."

Phoebe looked around the room to see that everyone was as surprized as her to hear Chris' words. No-one had any idea?

"But... but that makes no sence." Leo stated, confusion clouding his gaze.

"Yup. No rumours. None. And there were a mix of daemons there when the crowd began to form. None of them knew. I mentioned the names I'd originally thought, too. No-one even blinked." Chris went on, but soon became exhausted. "Hell, I think I need to rest."

Chris raised himslef out of his seat, groaning with the effort. Still, all mouths were agape. Piper turned to Leo.

"But... The Elders?" She said, bewildered that_ they _could actually be_ wrong _about something. Slightly smug. But bewildered none the less.

Leo passed Chris a mystified look before announcing that he'd confer with his fellow Elders, orbing out of sight, the trail of blue spinning upward and passing through the ceiling.

The Charmed Ones became silent for a moment, each one lost in her own trail of thought, and were about to discuss, when Chris stretched out his spine with a dramatic yawn.

"Ah, I really need to rest. You guys can rest easy now too. I really don't think there's anything going on down there. What makes you think that the Elders can't be wrong for a change. This whole thing started on an Elder hunch anyway. Who made their word law?"

Chris' words struck a chrod with Piper.

"Yeah. Chris could be right," Piper suggested. Before anyone could attempt to reply, Chris stood up and announced.

"Yes. Well. I'm going to sleep. I need it after all that. Just call if you need me." And with that, Chris orbed away, leaving the Charmed Ones not quite sure what to do.

Xx

In his cluttered room, Chris's form appeared. He flopped onto his bed and smiled triumphantly, stretching out his long, muscular legs. That felt good.

"You can trust me Sir. You can, you can. I got this. Ole' Hairy Cat's got this. Smartyer than I looks, and n-not scared of nu-nuthin', is me! Nope, nope, nope. Nope!"

Xx

Far down in the Underworld, in that immence cave that held so much promise for magesty, but in reality homed the worst sort of evil, the tall, lean figure stood, watching the water which was eerily suspended before him. He watched his servant spin his deciteful web, and nodded his delight. This deamon wasn't stupid. Yes, Harekat was a snivelling idiot who cared much to much about his own wellbeing, but he wasn't _completely_ useless. The daemon, hell-bent on his task, had make Harekat sit before this waters images, just as he was, for quite a while. To watch. And to learn. The Shape-shifter, by nature, had an undeniable talent for throwing away his pathetic self and cloaking himself in a completely new character. This cloak enabled him to slip, unseen, into the places no other daemon would dare infiltrate. So, no. The daemon did not choose his servants for his own enjoyment. They were hand-picked, so they were the best at what they did. As was the newest daemon that the lean one had called upon, who approached confidently and spoke in a gruff voice, the scar down his face, passing his lips, parting with every word.

"Sir. You called for my expertise? I am delighted I could be of use to a task such as this, Sir." He spoke respectfully, carefully choosing his words, "what information do you want me to collect?"

Tapping his spindly fingers on his face, which he did not give his newly recruited subject the honour of seeing, the daemon spoke.

"The Charmed Ones have kindled an interest in me. The boy is from the future. He does not reveal to them anything _about_ that future." The daemons smile was detectable by the way his voice became madly uneven, "so... I want you to tell me what you can about The Charmed Ones future. From the boys lips."

The scarred deamon said, "And I have the permission to gather this information by any means, Sir?"

"Indeed." He lifted a finger to the far side of the room, which was emersed in shadows. Only vague shapes of something could be seen; a slab of some sort, with a silhouetted body laid out upon it.

"No time to loose. Get started." He said, and the glow of a roaring fire instantly swept across his jagged face.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** :-)

**Chapter Four**

Leo hadn't been able to return from his trip to above, which had been a week ago, leaving the Charmed Ones in the dark about what was going on. But that problem no longer took priority. Since then, a series of demonic riots had taken place. Each one was random; the deamon gang hitting a popular landmark and destroying it, not with fireballs and shimmering, but with fists and bats. They destroyed all that was in their paths, in a suspiciously human-like way.. Media blamed it on groups of the general public, and it was all anybody spoke about in both the normal community and the magical one, in fear of the riots having taken place and in antisipation of the next. What scared the magic community the most, however, was that it didn't seem to be just one group of unruly daemons. It seemed to be all types, from every dark corner of the Underworld, getting a piece of the action, as if the entire evil society had decided to gang up. Which was worrying.

These events had kept the Elders pretty busy, Leo included. The Charmed Ones had helped a little on the side when they could, but they were busy dealing with problems of their own.

Chris was acting strangely.

Phoebe had been the first to notice, being naturally empathetic even without her powers, which were useless against Chris. Rather than stalking rather shyly about the Manor like he usually did, looking like a man on a mission, Chris actually _spoke_ to the Charmed Ones. Phoebe would've been delighted at the change of attitude, if his interactions hadn't been so... odd. He spoke to them like an inquisitive child, asking random questions about life, feelings, where they were going today. Then he'd go back to his ordinary daemon hunting business, flicking through the Book Of Shadows, then orbing off for hours.

Only the other day, Chris had sauntered into the kitchen where Pheobe had been sat typing a reply to a woman's heart-ache for work, absorbed in what the woman must be feeling, when Chris appeared.

"Cup of tea?" He'd asked politely, with a horrifyingly cheerful smile.

Phoebe had looked up from her work, mouth agape, as Chris put the kettle to boil and began to bumble about the kitchen. This was not ordinary Chris behaviour. Was he trying to gain their trust? He was definitely trying too hard.

"That's okay sweetie!" Was her reply as she'd rushed off to confer with her sisters.

Piper and Paige just took the strange activity as normal behaviour for someone they knew so little about, and used it as another excuse not to trust him, but Phoebe couldn't shake the niggling feeling that she got whenever Chris threw her a cheerful smile, which just screamed, "nothing to see here!". Phoebe was uneasy, but not for the reasons that Piper and Paige were. She sensed something deeper going on. Rather than put this weight on her sisters, however, until she could be sure, Phoebe took it upon herself to watch Chris carefully. She had no idea what she was looking for, but then again, did she ever?

Xx

One morning, Piper was playing with Wyatt in the living room, passing blocks of different colours to him and speaking in a sing-song voice.

"Look, it's... what is it?" Piper held out the blue block it the toddlers face.

"Blue." Wyatt stated quitely after long stare at the block

Piper reacted to his sweet little word as if he'd just quoted Einstein, planting kisses all over his face and holding him close.

"Well done, buddy! Blue!" She praised.

Then, a sound like thunder came from upstairs, and Piper turned to see Chris running down heavily.

"Chris, geez, step lighter. You sound like a herd of elephants!" Piper chided.

"Sorry Piper but I'm kinda flustered," Chris said quickly, signalling to his red tinged face as proof, "I've done it! The daemon who turns Wyatt! I've found him!"

Pipers eyes widened with shock. She speedily took her baby in her arms and called Paige, her face instantly set like steel.

Paige orbed into the room and sensed the tension immediately; it hung so thick in the air that she could've choked on it.

"What's up?"

"Paige," Piper handed her Wyatt, saying, "take Wyatt to Magic School. We've got a daemon to vanquish. Quickly. Meet us in the attic."

Paige nodded, immediately following her sisters demands and vanishing in a swirl of blue, Wyatt in her arms, looking quite at ease. Piper marched off to the attic.

"Chris, explain. Now."

Xx

"What do you mean_ you just know_! Are you serious?!" Piper screamed, standing behind the Book in the attic and glaring at Chris, who didn't so much as flinch under her gaze.

"You're gonna have to trust me. I've worked really, _really_ hard for this. I'm sure! Do you want to save your son or not?"

Paige and Pheobe appeared just in time to catch Chris' words.

"Let's just get going. If we even have a chance at keeping our baby safe, we're going to take it. What have we got to loose?" Paige said, handing each person present a vile, stating what damage they did. It was a dangerous array of explosives and smokes, "In case we have to put up a fight."

"We ready?" Chris hastily said, thrusting out his arm for the Charmed Ones to grab.

"What's with the haste? Shouldn't we prepare?" Pheobe asked, eyeing Chris suspiciously. She didn't like rushing off like this at Chris' demand. Not with his questionable mood this past week.

"Like I just said, I've been working hard for this very discovery for God knows how long? Is it any wonder I'm eager? I just want to eliminate this threat fast. For the future. For Wyatt!" Chris turned to Piper for support. _Snea__ky_, Phoebe thought.

"Yes," Piper nodded, taking Chris' arm, "let's get this done."

Paige sighed, seeing how much this meant to her sister. She took Chris' arm, putting her faith in him.

Phoebe glanced helplessly from each set of eyes, focusing mainly on her sisters,_ pleading_. But she was beaten. The strong emotions in the room were clouding her sisters' judgment, and who was she to fight with her sisters' emotions? It never worked, especially with Piper, who was as stubborn and gritty as Chris, and even as their dead sister Prue. _Being the oldest sister must have that affect_, Phoebe thought sadly, thinking of how much she herself had changed when given her new role as middle sister.

Phoebe grabbed Chris' arm, and she saw his smile; relief. Was that good or bad? Too late. Pheobe closed her eyes as the blue glow filled her sight, and she got that familiar floating feeling, in this case, downwards.

Xx

Pain. It was all he could feel, overpowering his thoughts. With pain-steaking ease, Chris peeled open his aching eyes- an action he immediately regretted, as the cruel, fiery light that hit them felt like knives being plunged into his sockets, and twisting, making his head spin. His tongue fought helplessly in his mouth as he swallowed what felt like a fist-full of needles. He winced. A moan escaped his dry lips.

All that Chris could feel, appart from the pain, was the blistering heat of the boiling metal against his wrists and ankles. The sickening odur of burning flesh crawled up his nostrils, and Chris choked on fear when he realised that it was his own poor, injured self. He peeled his eyes open further, ignoring his body, which was pleading it's protest, and his hallow, empty stomach dropped when he realised. He was still here. In the room where the walls were fire, their heat killing him slowly, mercilessly. Chris wondered when the man would be back. The broad one with the ugly scar trailing down his face and the massive, bloody fists and the horrid, iron tools... Chris surprized himself with a whimper.

"Affraid?" The blood-freezing voice spoke. The tall, lean one sauntered in, as if this was the most lovely place to live, not the house of horrors that it was. Chris didn't have the energy to focus. He watched unsteadily, his vision blurry and red with blood.

The deamon raised and then lowered his hands in one fluid motion, and the balzing fire died down, revealing the rest of the immense room and letting some musky, but cooler air in. Chris greedily filled his aching lungs.

"Gosh, it _is_ hot in here. Anyway, I came here to... talk to you. So far you've been of absolutely no use to me." The daemon spoke, like a disappointed parent. "I can only assume that you've done this before. You must have, to show such resistance. Am I right."

Of couse, Chris had. He was confident, even in his state, that he could handle any form of torture that was thrown at him. Chris dared to raise a hand, and he threw a disrespectful finger at the daemon.

The deamon snarled, a disturbing, animal-like sound that passed through Chris' head like a high-pitched siren.

"We'll just have to try a little harder then, won't we?" he hissed, the pure evil dripping from his voice like poison.

The deamon turned around with a flourish, and the unbearable fire returned.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Phoebe blinked a few times to adjust her eyes to the sudden dark and to get rid of the lingering blue that filled her vision. When she could once again see straight, Phoebe stepped back and took in her surroundings. They were in a cave in the Underworld. There wasn't really much else to elaborate on that fact. In her experiance, every part of the Underworld looked exactly the same. Same sandy coloured ground that matched the sandy-coloured walls. Same stifling heat that only the boiling daemonic blood could stand, whereas it curdled her own. She could already feel the cool beads of sweat forming on her forehead and upper lip, intruding her lips so that she could taste salt. She hoped they wouldn't be here long. She wondered how long Chris intended this mission to be, and at the thought of the strange kid, she lifted her head to search his face. Chris was scanning the room, eyeing every wall, his lips tight. He was scrunching his knuckles together with such force that they'd turned a deathly white.

"Oh, I almost forgot! Everyone take a vanquishing potion. It's for no one daemon in specific, but it's pretty damn powerful, if I do say so myself."

She handed each sister a sinister looking vile, filled to the brim with black liquid. Then, the sisters just stood. Not knowing quite what to do.

"Okaay... What _now_? Where's the daemon we bash?" Paige broke the silence to nervously inquire.

The sisters heads turned, in sync, to face Chris with their questioning eyes.

"Now," Chris spoke very slowly, as if in deep thought, his eyes still on the walls "we have to... umm..."

Piper spun on him, her face contorting in rage. Chris was playing with Pipers emotions; her love for her son. That was dangerous territory.

"I-I don't ... I..." He stuttered, unsure of himself.

Phoebe didn't understand why Chris was so desperately on edge. Instinct taking over, she reached out and made a grab for one of his pale fists. As soon as her skin came into contact with his...

... she froze...

...misty, unclear, as if underwater, she struggled to make out the image that had suddenly appeared in her minds eye. Time seemed to stand still, just for her, as scenes flashed in her head: fire flicking, tormenting; an evil figure, as threatening as an ox, a knife slash jaggedly trailing down his skin; Chris... _Chris_... lead helpless, barely recognisable under clumped blood mixed with sweat and dark, swollen bruises like boils; and again, Chris, stood watching over... over the injured, restrained _Chris_; what else... a scaled animal, it's neck sweeping through the sky...

Phoebe only noticed her eyes were scrunched shut when she found that, upon opening them, they ached severely. When she looked up, her sisters were looking at her, speaking to her. Their lips moved wordlessly...

"...see? Phoebe? Pheebs? I said what did you see?" Piper, her hands clasping Phoebes, asked with haste.

Phoebe looked up at Chris, who was staring back at Phoebe wide-eyed. Almost as if he was mad. Mad, and not Chris. She'd seen_ two _Chris'... Phoebe lifted an accusing finger.

"Where's Chris? Oh my God, _what did you do to him_?" Phoebe sobbed, much to both of her sisters shock, and, without thinking, she threw her leg high.

As soon as Phoebes foot connected with _the imposters_ face, a number of things happened all at once. First, his head snapped back, the rest of his body following and crashing into the far wall, limply falling to a heap on the floor in a cloud of dust, out for the count. Then the sisters caught their shuddering breaths as the walls began to contort, shapes forming as if from underneath, gradually becoming more prominent until full figures began to step from them. Daemons. Warlocks. At least eleven of them, surrounding the sisters. Breathing heavily, their disgusting breath hit Phoebe like bricks, and she recoiled from the sickening odour of blood and digested flesh.

Piper, the first to recover from shock, threw out her hands and, instantly, a warlock errupted into the flames that would drag him to hell. A companion reacted immediately. Rage and violence seeping from his skin, he raced toward Piper like a bull seeing red, and the two locked arms, both baring their teeth/fangs. Paige threw every potion she had, sending blinding colours exploding into the air around the now fully-fledged battle, and sending another two daemons to their much deserved fate. It wasn't long before the scent of blood- both demonic and witch- filled the dank air, suffocating all parties.

Phoebe levitated in the air and, as she wildly sent her foot flying, she heard the satisfying crunch of a jaw-bone, and the agonising scream that went with it.

Piper threw explosions out of her palms every time a flash of red passed her sight.

Paige, knives she'd bought along ("just in case") unsheathed and lethal in her hands, fought barbarically, slashing and plunging...

Then, they all stopped.

Froze, in fact.

Every witch or daemon suddenly became encased in his or her own skin. Knives hung, suspended in the air, their path of death disrupted. Blood droplets floated before confused eyes. The entire scene has just stopped. They could all hear each others raspy breath in the sudden silence, and their eyes, the only things they seemed to have control of, shifted to scan every angle.

Piper let out an ironic chuckle. She didn't recall this ever having happened to_ her_.

"Ladies, gents, please!" A strained, painful voice spoke to them patronisingly, "surely we can settle our differences."

A laugh errupted from the back of his neak, the effect of hearing it simmilar to that of someone scraping their finger-nail across a black-board. The daemon sauntered into Phoebes line of vision. She chocked. The breath caught in her throat at the sight of the horrific face, which he put just inches from hers, breathing his toxic air right up her nose.

There was nothing. The daemons face had the apperance of being trapped under a tight strech of polystyrene- only sihloetting his nose and eye sockets- the only break of it being for his mouth, witch was horrifically stretched to each end of his jaw; it was as if his face were split in two. His eyes moved around under the film of grey-ish skin, searching. Could he even see?

"A Charmed One! What a _bea-utiful _creature, truley. All I've heard is true!" The daemon rasped, stroking a cold finger across Phoebes face, sending her skin flaring with goose-bumps.

"Hmm... What to do with you now?" The daemon pondered alloud, straightening up. As he did so, he seemed to tower in height, his painfully skinny frame stretched out just as strangely as the face.

"Popular advise would have me kill you," he said, spinning on his heel and beginning to pace, swerving to avoid a lunging warlocks spear as he did so, "However... my plans for you are so much _greater_. The power of three is a truly enviable power. It'd be a crime to destroy it, thus wasting it. Who am _I _to commit such a ghastly crime?" The higher the daemon took his pitch, the more his voice became lost, until it faded into almost incoherent squeaks

Suddenly, the daemon span round.

"Oh gosh, how rude, I've not even introduced myself... Oh, how truly terrible of me." The daemon chided himself.

_He's insane,_ Phoebe thought, her face heating up.

"I'm the Nightmare daemon! How do you do...Oh!" The Nightmare daemon politely offered Phoebe a hand- which she, of course, couldn't take- only to crane back and choke on wave after wave of mental laughter, his body flailing and whipping with each cackle, "Oh, gosh! What _am_ I like!"

The daemon turned to Paige, who looked less than comfortable, trapped in a headlock, her face red, eyes fluttering, disorientated. The Nightmare daemon saw her and tuted, tugging on the warlock who had her restrained and releasing her from his deadly grip. She, of course, didn't move, but the blood rapidly spread, leaving her face.

"We should leave now," the daemon said, his voice thick with resolution, and he lifted his arms, the magic already bubbling beneath the surface of his hands.

**A/N:** Since I can't reply to the review that I was given (apparently I've got to wait 24 hours before I get that privilege!?) I'll reply here. So (if you're reading this) thank you for the brilliant idea, it hadn't even crossed my mind! I plan to put it in near the end (let me know how I do)!

To you and all others, thank you for reading :-)


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:QUICK NOTE GUYS! **Apologies, but I think some people didn't realise that I've uploaded _two_ chapters today, not one, since more people have read chapter 6 than 5. Sorry for the confusion fi you find you've skipped one! :-)

Thanks for reading, please review if you can :-)

**Chapter Six**

Each sister had the honour of being personally escourted to thir cells by _two_ deamons- each! The way the Nightmare daemon had put it, it sounded delightful, and Paige had almost said 'thank you'. However, the treatment was significantly less than five star. The large, muscular rookies held the Charmed Ones arms so roughly that they were soon bruised, and when one of them so much as winced, the grip got tighter.

The three witches were lead into a long, dark hallway, witch was eerily illuminated by black candles running the full length of the cave. Right up until the end, that is, where the hallway branched off narrowly left and right, and the walls were replaced with bars which glowed ever so faintly with dark magic.

"Digging the decor," Paige said quietly.

The sisters were dragged to the very end of the right hand corridor, and were brought to a stop when they stood before the cage with the bars glowing the strongest (although, even this was impossibly dull). The most effective power-stifling cage.

The daemons all closed their eyes, not at all loosening their grip, however, and seconds later, the cage swung open with an ear-splitting creak. They'd probably opened it with a spell. _Great. Even tougher to break out of,_ thought Paige. Then the Charmed Ones were unceremoniously chucked into the cell, landing one unruly heap on the floor. The entire room seemed to shudder as the cage doors were slammed shut.

"That was no way to treat ladies!" Paige called out as the daemons strutted away.

Then, they were alone.

The silence seemed to streatch for an eternety, none of the sisters wanting to disrupt eachothers thoughts. Especially Pipers. Phoebe and Paige knew she'd be beating herself up. The entire thing had _so obviously_ been a trap, but upon the mention of her babies name, she'd put her and her sisters lives in danger by plunging head first into trouble. At least, that was what she was saying over and over again in her head, as if to punish herself.

Suddenly, Phoebe gasped.

"Chris!" She brought a hand to her lips, her eyes widening in shock at the memory of her premonition.

Piper and Paige suddenly became alert.

"What about him? What did you see?" Paige spoke softly.

"He was... they... I'm not sure really. It was foggy. But I'm absolutely positive now that _he_ wasn't Chris. The one that lead us into this trap. It hasn't been Chris for over a week, at my best guess!" Phoebe's voice had become so loud that she'd surprised herself. She took a deep breath in.

"So, where has _our _Chris been for a week?" Piper wondered aloud.

As if in answer to Pipers words, a soft, painfull moan came from the cell to the sisters left.

"Oh God..." Phoebe sobbed, lurching to the bars.

She, with her sisters looked through the bars into the darkness. They could see nothing except the ever so faintly glowing bars, which did nothing to aid their sight.

"Chris? Chris, is that you? Chris, answer me honey..." Phoebe begged.

The sisters waited in agonising silence. Then...

"He-Hey guys. Long time, no..." Chris' broken voice trailed off, mixing with the silence.

"CHRIS! What the hell happened? How did you get here... how long have you been here?" Piper said, even though, of course, she, like her sisters, had already figured all that out.

Phoebe sniffed.

"Oh God. I saw this. What they did to him. Guys... we have to get outa here." Phoebe said, here eyes still desperately searching the pitched black, finding nothing.

"No... you think?" Piper snapped, rising to her feet.

"What are you doing?" Paige asked as Piper marched to the barred door of their cell.

"Taking action." She simply stated.

Piper flung out her arms before her, and the entire room shuddered with the force of her almightly explosion. But rather than forcing the door outwards, Piper was flung backwards by her own force, slamming with a crunch in the wall behind her. She didn't move.

"Piper?" Phoebe voiced from the darkness.

She was out for the count.

"Great." Paige said, her sarcasm barely masking her agony, "now I guess we're counting on Leo."

Xx

Leo had been driving himself insane, pacing back and forth for what felt like_ hours_. When he'd turned up at the Halliwell Manor after being away for a little while, he'd not been expecting anything out of the ordinary. And an empty house was definitely _not_ ordinary.

Leo was in the hall of magic school, where he'd orbed immediatly after discovering no-one was home, to find Wyatt safe and sound, (thank God!) playing with his little magical friends, adorably ignorant as always. When Leo tried to think of his precious son as becoming the worlds downfall- the man responsible for the earths plunge into evil and the loss of countless lives, Chris' families included- it just made no sense! But, deep down, the sensible side of Leo knew that there were many who would seek to turn a child as powerful as his precious, twice-blessed son. Although so much of Leo hated Chris for revealing this fact, a fact that caused Leo so much pain, he knew that, if what Chris was saying was in fact true, he should be thankful. It was difficult, though, since he so desperately wanted to reject what Chris was saying to him.

Where was Chris anyway? And the sisters? Why weren't he or Paige answering his calls?

Leo was brought out of his contemplation by a tugging sensation at his leg. He looked down to see Wyatt, softly pulling on his fathers jeans.

"Hey, buddy! What'cha doin' there?" Leo said, crouching down to Wyatt's level.

Wyatt simply gazed into his fathers eyes, as if trying to see inside his mind and pull out what was getting him so worried. Leo sighed.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Mummy is do you? And Auntie Paige and Auntie Phoebe? And Chris?" Leo chimed.

Wyatt continued to stare.

Leo sighed.

"Yeah. I thought not. Sorry buddy." Leo said dejectedly, and sank down to the floor, "It's alright. Daddy's not too sure either."

Wyatt blinked. He stuck out his chubby little hand and placed it on his fathers shoulder. Leo smiled up at his son; his wonderful, innocent, brave little son.

Then Leo felt the familliar shiver that came wth the glowing sparkles of orbs.

"Wyatt?" Leo questioned sternly as he and his son orbed away.

Xx

As the last sparkles of orbs bounced away, Leo took in a breath. They were somewhere... dark.

"Wyatt, where did you take Daddy?"

Leo hushed himself when his ears perked up to the quiet sound of whispering voices. He stood, clasping his sons hand blindly, and together they stepped foreword cautiously.

"...it hurt real bad? Just lie still Chris. It's alright, like Phoebe said, we'll get us out of here. Leo will be here soon. Well, he'd_ better _be. God, If we have to wait here much longer, I'm gonna kill 'im"

Leo gasped. It was _Piper_! Being as vocal as usual.

Hauling Wyatt, Leo rushed forewards, passing through a long hall of glowing bars until he reached the very end, bumping his head on the wall.

"Owch," Leo grumbled.

"Leo? Is that you?" someone called from the darkness excitedly. Leo identified the voice as Phoebes.

"Phoebe? Piper? Oh thank God. Where are Paige and Chris?" Leo spoke into random darkness.

"Here!" Called Paige, "and, erm, there. That's a big problem. Leo, can you get into the cage next to us? Is there- I dunno- a key?"

"Even if there was, Paige, I definitely wouldn't be able to find it," Leo stated, his voice as dark as the room.

Wyatt made a cute gurgling noise, and all of a sudden his hand began to glow brightly, chasing away the darkness and revealing Leo's surroundings.

Leo saw, to his great relief, Paige and Piper stood holding the bars. They looked a bit rough, their hair matted and make-up a little smeared, and Piper had a trickle of blood trailing down from her forehead, but in comparison to what Leo's wild imagination had been leading him to believe, they were relatively unharmed. Phoebe was also looking flustered. She was knelt down by the side bars, her face a mask of concern. Leo followed her gaze. And saw Chris.

Chris had _definately_ been through the wars. He lay sprawled unevenly, as if he hadn't moved since he was thrown there, and he was beaten to a bloody pulp. His legs especially were unnaturally crooked.

"Healing time now?" Paige asked, eyes wide on him.

"Will the bars let me?" Leo asked, shoving his arm through Chris' bars.

"They should. They keep powers in, not out, and they don't prevent them all together. As I soon discovered." Piper moaned, putting a hand delicately to her pounding forehead.

Leo grunted and struggled, pushing his arm as far as it would go. After a few seconds, he gave up. He couldn't reach. And Chris definitely wasn't moving.

"Okay... okay... We're just gonna have to find a way to get him- and us!- out." Piper said, the fear creeping into her voice.

Leo looked at Wyatt, his arm sending light over his tiny face, which looked so sweetly at his fathers.

"You wouldn't happen to have any more tricks up your sleves, would you, buddy?" Leo chimed.

Then, he blinked.

"Oh! Wyatt! Daddy needs your help one last time, okay buddy? Okay?" Leo took his son by the shoulders, "Daddy and Mummy need you to orb up to magic school- okay?- and in the desk in magic school, top drawer- top drawer, got it?- grab the giant, shiny key! The big, blue, glowy one! Okay, buddy?"

Wyatt stared for a second. Then, Leo jumped a little as his son orbed away and the darkness stole back.

"Wow. Do you think he got that?" Paige asked dubiously.

"I think he understands more than we know." Leo said, getting close to the cage, "Piper? I can't see you but come close so I can heal your head."

He waited in silence with his hand in the bars before he felt skin against his palm and sweet breath hitting his lips. _Oh God. We're _not_ together anymore._ Leo chided himself for feeling that familiar love for Piper stirring in his stomach, and he quickly healed her, feeling the warmth from his palms transfer to her.

"So... Leo. What did you send Wyatt for, exactly?"

Just as the words left Pipers lips, Wyatt returned, holding key, about the same size as his and, that glowed with writhing lights as if it had tiny snakes on it's surface.

"That" Leo said, taking the key from his son, patting him on the head, "It's a Universal Key"

As he brought the key to the empty slab of door, it began to swirl, as if liquidised, under the keys light, and a key whole appeared where one hadn't been.

Leo narrowed his eyes with a grin, "I'm getting all of you out of here."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:**

Again, as I said yesterday, I'm sorry if anyone accidentally skipped Chapter 5. I uploaded two chapters at once, and, looking at the views, I think a few people may have gone straight to six. Apologies! I'm new to this! :/

Anyway, please keep reading, and please try to slip me a review too (they make me feel special! Thank you if you've given me one!)

:-)

**Chapter Seven**

The sisters ran silently through the intoxicating darkness, Leo following close with Chris hanging from his shoulder, healed just seconds before, at about the same time that Leo had told Wyatt to orb himself back to Magic school. He would have advised he take Chris back to safety, but his poor little baby was already shivering with the effort orbing through the barrier of the Underworld took. Leo was filled with a burning pride, mixed with sadness, to see the lengths his son would go through for his parents.

No-one dared utter a word as they got closer and closer to the bottom of the long corridor that had first led them to their cell, and they slowly but surely got closer and closer to the flickering, warm coloured light that shone from the top of a jagged, stony stairway.

Piper went first. She eased herself up the steps- taking care- and peeked in. Her blood seemed to turn to stone as she set her eyes upon the Nightmare daemon, stood statue-like in the middle of a massive, stretching cave. Before him was a sort of pond, magic holding it up vertically, and it shimmered and flickered with the reflection of the flames that seemed to fill up a quarter of the cavern, hiding whatever evil might be going on the other side._ He's probably creating a ghastly concoction that will steal our powers_, Piper thought bitterly.

She raised her hands and gentely flicked them.

Looking at the daemon, you wouldn't see any difference. However, Piper and her sisters behind her knew that he was frozen. Just one look at the water which now held the appearance of ice and the screen-shot of dancing flames made Pipers effect clear.

Finally letting out their withheld breaths, Piper and the others stepped out into the room. Chris, upon seeing the fire, flinched and recoiled into Leos shoulder.

"Please, let's just do this. Quickly." He said weakly.

Paige revealed her vile of black vanquishing potion from the pocket of her trousers, as did her sisters.

"Lucky I brought these." Paige said proudly.

The sisters threw their viles at the Nightmare daemon, who stood menacing and unknowing, and watched silently as a black swirl of smoky fire consumed him.

"Let's go." Leo said, his eyes burning black watching the daemon slowly die.

The sisters ditifully took Leo's arm, and turned their heads away, preparing to leave.

The seconds ticked by wordlessly.

"Leo? What's up?" Piper said through the smog that was quickly spreading, tumbling towards them.

Stumbling back with everyone else to avoid the ashes of the dead daemon, Leo spluttered "I-I can't! Something's blocking me!"

"What! Nothing blocked Wyatt before, Leo. Try harder!" Piper screeched, her arms flailing about around her, trying to purify the black air that was her breathing space.

"What's blocking you, Leo?" Pheobe croaked.

"Oh," a sinisterly familliar voice chimed, "That'll be me..."

The Nightmare daemon lurched from the black fog, and thrust his arm out. A torrent of black was released from his palm. It's deadly path lead straight to Piper.

Piper flew back, tumbling over 5 meters of the cavern floor, and lay on the floor shivering violently.

"Piper!" Chris yelled, shoving Leo foreward.

They took off. The Halliwells ran to the only welcoming place they could immediately spot. Leo scooped Piper up as he ran, despite not trusting his shaken self to be able to support her weight. The staircase they had hastily faltered towards the stairs, which wound upwards, and, blocking out the devilish mocks that were cried after them, the Halliwells scrambled up them, wanting to be anywhere but in the devils presence. Chris blindly followed the crowd, his body wracked with pain, but his fear acting as sufficient motivation to keep him going. Leo's feet pounded against the ground, each step sending shudders through his body, making Pipers poor head lurch- he was all to aware of her shivering body in his arms.

"It's so amusing how you think that you can escape me! YOU CAN'T ESCAPE A NIGHTMARE!" The cavern that they'd run into shook violently with his words, toying with them, trying to knock them off their feet. But the Halliwells just kept running.

When Leo's arms began to ache to the excrutiating point where he thought they'd rip and Piper had terrifyingly stopped moving, Leo called to the others, "Stop!"

Paige and Phoebe jerked around, falling to their knees to where Leo had fallen to his. Chris stumbled to them, collapsing, his chest rising and falling fiercely with his harrowing breaths.

"I- can't - hear him- any more. Must've- stopped-" He choked.

"He's playing with us!" Phoebe screached, "as if were pathetic _freaks_!"

_"Little mice, little mice. The hungry cat is coming..."_ the sinister voice sang sickly.

"He's coming!" Pipers eyes had fluttered open. Phoebe put a hand Pipers clammy froehead. And then...

... She left the cavern...

_... And was in the Manor- Prue was there! But she wasn't moving; blood trickled down her head; Piper was grasping her shoulders with brutal misery, in floods of tears, her sobs so furious that her chest was heaving. She was knelt over her older sister amongst piles of broken wood and rubble, the dusty sediment plastering both her blood-red face and Prues unanimated, lifeless one, mixing disturbingly with blood and tears. Oh God... Prue was dead! But this had already happened... It wasn't a premonition of the future... It was a... a... an..._

"...an Earthquake! Phoebe it's an Earthquake!" Piper was yelling into her face.

Phoebe felt as if her bones were shuddering in her body. But that wasn't the case. The ground was shaking!

Pale, but alert, Piper latched onto Leo and buried herself into his chest. Good idea. She was avoiding a broken bone. Jaw juddering, neck close to snapping, Phoebe grabbed Chris, who looked to be in his own world, and embraced him tightly. He linked arms with Leo and Paige, leaping to avoid a giant falling rock, struggled into the huddle, although over the sound of the raging Earth, it was hard to see where she'd gone.

"LEO, NOW!" Chris screamed above the chaos, his voice strained.

"Now WHAT?"

"**_NOW_**!"

Leo summoned all his strenghth, not even knowing if he'd assumed correctly. But he had.

Dust and rocks fell right on top of where the Halliwells had been, crushing the little particals of blue orb lights that remained.

Xx

The Halliwells collapsed onto the attic floor with an almighty_ thump_. In the Manor, it was eerily quiet. Then again, they _had_ just come from an Earthquake.

The gang, having untangled themselves, flopped back onto the wonderfully smooth, if not a little dusty, carpet. Chris wanted break down and start kissing it. Although, he controlled himself, knowing that a display of emotion on that scale might not look that great.

"Chris, did you just do what I think you did?" Leo breathed.

"What?" Piper asked, aghast, looking at Chris, who'd developed a sudden interest in his shoes.

All eyes went to Chris' foggy green ones. As soon as he noticed, he shyly looked away, and shrugged nonchalantly.

"Yeh. Sure. I summoned an earthquake to put the daemon off. If he was distracted, he couldn't block our orbs." Chris admitted, then he caught sight of Paige, who's eyebrow was raised acutely. "Oh. Yeh. Sorry for almost crushing you with a rock, Paige. But c'mon, what else could we do?"

Paige let her eyebrow fall and her playful look was replaced with a curious one, "I had no idea you could do that... I mean, I knew you were half witch and all, but... That was _real_ good."

Piper jumped to her feet, her face an image of rage, "Real good? That was more than real good, that was incredible. How long were you planning on hiding your power, hu? Until you missed the chance to save us with it? Until one of us _died_..."

"No. No! Piper," Chris stood up and raised his arms defensively, "I- that-" Chris couldn't find the words. Not under the intensity of Pipers glare.

"Okay, lets all calm down." Phoebe slowly stood and placed a hand on Chris' shoulder, "Piper, just let Chris- the kid who just _saved your ass_- explain."

Pipers knitted eyebrows softened a little. She waited for an explaination, her hands at her hips.

Chris took a deep breath. "Honestly? I try really hard not to use my powers."

The sisters waited.

"They're kind of unstable. I can't really explain it. It's like they're held behind a... a sort of... mental dam, I guess. Using them a cracks the dam. After that, I need to be careful, or I have no idea what I'll do." Chris looked at the ground guiltily. "I've done terrible things in the past when I've lost control. Accidental! But terrible."

Chris left that last part hanging in the air. he cleared his throat.

"So, when I came here, I said I was just a Whitelighter. It was easier, y'know." He shrugged.

When he looked up, the Halliwells were watching him, each with a different expression. There was kindled interest. Sadness. Pity. Chris couldn't take it.

"Piper, you got hit. Get some rest." He ordered, trying to sound tough and collected, but the loving concern had crept into his voice. "I gotta go." And with that, Chris orbed away to hide.

Each Halliwell was lost in his or her own thought. Paige was wondering what could have happened to make Chris so terrified of his powers. Phoebe was wondering the same. Leo was thinking about how sure he was that Chris had got to clear his head on top the bridge. But Piper was thinking about what she'd seen. _Prue'_s _death_. Her worst nightmare.

**A/N: **I have been in such a rush to get these out, I think I'll calm it down a bit. Maybe one chapter a day, with the odd exeption? But if you're reading, please stay with me! It makes me feel _really_ fab to know that people are actually reading my stuff (thanks for that!)! I hope you're enjoying reading it just as much as I'm enjoying writing it. The story will (hopefully) blossom until the climax I have in mind (which I will try to make sufficiently awesome!)

PS: Premonitions are now italics! I should've done that before, really.

Thanks for reading :-)


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **A helpful reader informed me of my mistake with the spelling of daemon. I meant demon. Which is a shame, because daemon looks so much cooler. This chapter will have the same mistake since at this second, I've no time to change it, but I will for the next chapters.

Please enjoy anyway! :-)

**Chapter Eight**

Chris inhaled the fresh air deeply, as if he'd been starved of it. In truth, he had. For most of his depressing life. And for most of his equally depressing, pain-ridden week.

Chris didn't often indulge in such self pity, but he couldn't help himself. As the wind softly rumpled his hair, Chris gazed out with glassy eyes, watching the burning, red sun as it slowly bled into the clouds. He sighed at the image. This was the sort of beauty that he and the rest of the world had been deprived of in the future. His past. This worlds future (it was mind-numbingly complicated). In the future, the spires that reached up into the sky were coated with smog, and you couldn't catch a single glimpse of blue. Here, however, was lovely. Truly picturesque; the cars roaming lazily on the bridge; the suns reflection flickering in the water. Chris should have been thrilled to be here, surrounded by such a view.

Yet all he could think about was the events that the sisters had forced him to remember. The loathsome times when he'd lost control of his emotions, and let his powers take over. The first time was the worst; it haunted him, like so many other memories did, plagueing his mind whenever he was unfortunate enough to remember. Piper had wanted to know why Chris had with-held his powers in the past. Frankly, he wish she'd never asked.

He wished Aunt Prue was here. In his future, his favourite aunt had come back as a Whitelighter, once the Power of Three was gone, and she'd always been by Chris' side, even with the overwhelming amount of charges she had to deal with, too. She would comfort him with her confidence and fearlessness right now.

Giving a heaving sigh, Chris decided that he'd better face up to his problems rather than be a coward and run from them. Like Prue would have bid he do. Chris took one long last stare at the sight. He stared so long and so hard that when he closed his eyes to orb, he could still see the scene, and it was as if he was still bathing under the warm light of the blood-red sun.

Xx

"So, basically," Paige said, summing up what they'd been talking about feverently for the past half-hour, "this Nightmare daemon zaps you, and you're trapped inside you're head, re-living one of your worst nightmares? A memory?"

Leo, who was sat on the arm of the sofa, turned to Piper for confirmation.

"Yep. It's what I saw." She said, shivering.

Phoebe agreed, "I saw it too. Exactly what you did. Except I saw it faster, like a premonition. The memory was yours, but I caught it."

Piper turned to her sister and whispered, her voice hoarse, "Phoeebs... I'm so sorry you had to see that."

Phoebes eyes went to her fingers, which were playing nervously in her lap, as she replied, "It's alright Piper. It's fine."

The sisters made eye contact, the pain of Prues death so long ago, but still so raw in their hearts.

At that moment, everyone heard chimes sound in the kitchen, and seconds later, Chris sauntered in, looking a lot more revived and fresh.

"You doing okay Chris? I mean after..." Phoebes voice trailed off, remembering. She stood behind him, searching his face.

"Yeh, I'm fine. Much better now, in fact. Piper, how about you? How are you. After you got hit, I mean. Feeling okay?" Chris inquired, looking down to where Piper sat on the sofa in front of him, looking a lot more perky herself, if not a bit shaken.

"Yeh," Piper said, plesently surprized at his thoughtfulness, "better. Which reminds me, we figured out what he does, the Nightmare daemon. The clue's in the name really, but anyway... His zaps take you back to one of you're worst nightmares."

Piper, caught up in the heat of her words, stood up, then she frowned at Chris' hair, which was windswept from the bridge. She absent-mindedly went to sweep some hair back into place (grubbiness really irked her!) . As soon as her fingers came into contact with Chris' skin, however, a bright, buzzing spark shot from her finger, and everyone instinctively jumped back- everyone except Phoebe, that is, who went to catch Chris as he collapsed into a shuddering heap. As soon as Phoebe grabbed him, however, she mentally kicked herself. What an idiot. Would she ever learn? Too late, she told herself angrily as her mind was pulled into Chris'...

_... She could see him! Chris was 12, maybe 13. Phoebe noticed how sweetly awkwardly he stood there, his handsome young features hidden behind a mop of brown hair. He stood in what looked like a school kitchen, his eyes trained on the teacher who was pacing back and forth, addressing the class as they worked._

_"Next you would, of course, put... Oh dear!" The teacher violently inhaled, glaring at Chris with merciless eyes, striding angrily towards him._

_"Christopher Perry Halliwell! What on earth is that!" She yelled, pointing to the knife that sat on the work surface in front of him, "we never,_

_ever leave knives lying around. They are either in use, or put away! You stupid boy!"_

_All of the children in the class were sniggering at Chris as his face went every possible shade of red in seconds._

_"I never, ever want to see such disregard again, Mr Halliwell, you hear me?"_

_More sniggering filled the air as Chris whispered, "Yes Miss. Sorry Miss."_

_The teacher strutted away, leaving Chris shaken. All eyes and ears were on him. Staring. Phoebe heard Chris whisper, ever so softly under his breath in a sarcastic, childish mocking voice._

_"Stupid Miss Gilbert. Why doesn't she just grab the knife and do herself in."_

_Hearing this, the few kids around him smiled and giggled. Balance was restored, and he cheered up a little._

Kids_, Phoebe thought, chuckling in her head._

_But as soon as the words left his mouth, Miss Gilbert spun around, eyes glassy and unfocused, as if vexed. Phoebe saw Chris' eyes widen with utter shock and horror. Phoebe had heard of this magic._

Charm-speaking_. To control someone with the power of your words. It'd been an accident, like Chris had explained could happen. But it was too late. _

_Miss Gilbert walked purpousfuly towards Chris, and, standing before him in a daze, grabbed the knife. It happened to fast for Chris to react. The entire class of innocent screamed wildly, helplessly, and Chris stood rooted to the spot with fear, as Miss Gilbert raised the knife and plunged it into her chest..._

_..._Oh God...

Phoebe returned to herself after what felt like ages, but had in fact been less than a second. Chris, mid collapse after Pipers electric,_ nightmarish_ touch, fell through her arms, and Phoebe let herself drop with him.

The worried voices that surounded her, pestered her worriedly, yelling, tapping her face, didn't matter. Phoebe was miles away. Because two things had occured to her.

The first: what a horrific guilt for a young child to have to bear. Charm-speaking was a dangerous power in it's own right, but for simple, childish words like that to have been doused in the stuff was... horrific.

And second: Christopher Perry_ Halliwell_?


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **Just a very short, very, *ahem* _cheerful_ chapter to break things up a bit and build to the end XD

**Chapter Nine**

As Chris slept uncomfortably- his mind plagued by nightmares-, events having sapped away his energy, Piper, Paige and Phoebe spoke in hushed, nervy voices. They were waiting for Leo to return from his conversation with the Elders, which, the sisters hoped, would shed some light on the whole situation.

What did the Charmed Ones know? That Piper had been zapped by the dreadful Nightmare daemon, causing her to re-live a fear that was kept locked in the darkest recesses of her heart. But that wasn't all. Piper had touched Chris- just a touch- and her skin had had the same horrible affect on _him_. Now, Piper sat, staring hatefully at her hands, thinking about the damage they'd caused, and what further damage they _could_ cause, unless she and her sisters got this awful mess sorted out. They had to. They knew that much. But the Elders would know more.

The tension heightened as Leo orbed into the room, his perfect poker-face hiding whatever emotion may have been swirling underneath. The nervousness and fear was evident; hanging thickly in the air; woven into the walls; swimming in Phoebes eyes, which were gazing distantly, like a plastic dolls'.

"Are you guys okay? And Chris?" Leo asked, frowning.

The sisters looked defeated as Piper answered, "we're okay. Chris is taking a while to recover, but he should be okay. He's sleeping."

Leo nodded. The sisters noticed that his face seemed to be a little less light; more heavily weighed down than it used to be, and they were filled with dread at what he had to tell them.

"So... what did they say?" Paige asked, not sure she really wanted to know.

"Well, the other Elders said that Piper is cursed." The words hung for a second, the air an emulsion of angst. "The demon that cursed Piper formed a link- a magical bond- between himself and her. Phoebe, too, has recently- unconsciously- managed to tap into that link. She'll see what the victims see, without the need for touch."

There was silence.

"Yeh. It's all very, _very_ messed up." He concluded

"Alright. That's the problem. Solution, please?" Paige smiled crookedly.

"We all agreed. To break the link, the demon needs to be vanquished." Leo stated simply.

Piper and Paige both perked up. Vanquish. Now _that_, they could do, no problem! They'd successfuly vanquished the most formidable of foes- the Source of All Evil included!

"Great! Easy! Well, I'll just brew up a vanquishing potion and we'll be rid of that pest in no time!" Paige chimed, her mood significantly improved.

Leo shook his head sadly.

Phoebe listened with half an ear. Paige and Piper held their breaths.

Leo went on, his words drawn out, slowly, as if he didn't want to utter them, "Do you remember a few nights ago? When we were wondering why the entire Underworld was silent, as if all holding their breaths as one in anticipation?" The sisters nodded in sync, and Leo continued. "Phoebe said that it might be because the Nightmare demon was... was gathering a band of followers. An army." Leo stopped. Breathed. "Phoebe was right. He's formed an army. A _demonic army_."

Leo craned his neck forward to stare blankly at the floor. For now, he had nothing left to say. No-one did. A gong had been sounded. Their death sentence had just been handed to them. But...

"Well, then... Let's not sit around here moping about it." Paige said, a sly glint flickering in her eye- the first signs of hope that the room had seen so far during the day! "We have ourselves an army to prepare. They want a war... They've got one!"

Xx

Phoebe had left her family, a little more hopeful than when she had joined them, to enthusiastically confer in the conservatory. They had their sights set high; their plans were phenomenal! But Phoebe couldn't focus on talk of war when her mind was elsewhere.

In the living room, Phoebe looked at Chris, sleeping- but his slumber was anything but sound. Little droplets of sweat had found their way down his cheek and his brow was creased.

Lightly, Phoebe stepped over to kneel beside Chris. She swept a hair, which was clumped in sweat, from his face. With the action, Chris- _Christopher Perry Halliwell_- began to calm.

Phoebe watched in a daze as his chest slowly rose, and fell, rose, and fell... She placed a hand onto his. And smiled.

**A/N:** Please review.

Sorry this chapter was very short. I felt things were happening too fast and wanted to slow it down a bit!

:-)


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **This chapter is a little light-hearted (borderline annoying) fun before the end, which is anything but light-hearted. Please enjoy, and please review on how your liking (or not liking) the story and what you want to happen in the end, because I'm happy to incorporate ideas if anyone wants me to :-)

**Chapter Ten**

The plan had been formed only 10 days ago. Gather an army. An army which would go up against the evil army of the Underworld and fight for... well, they were fighting in simple retaliation. To live. That had been decided just 10 days ago, and already, things were beginning to take shape.

As soon as the Halliwells had officially given the message, it caught up in flames and started to spread sround the magical community like wild-fire, reaching from the ponds where the water nymphs splashed, to the in-betweens where the trolls lurked, waiting for midnight. The word had soon reached the ears of every being who supported good magic- however loosely- and one by one, they started to appear at the Halliwell Manor to either show their support, or fight in the battle.

The Manor was alive with such colour and glee that it was like a scene out of one of Wyatts picture books! Grumpy Gnomes, fluttering Fairies, glorious Gypsies, wonderful Witches, 'orrible Ogres, leaping Leprechauns... Yes. Much like a children's book. It was nauseating.

The sisters and Leo were struggling to keep the lid on the Manor; passers by had to be able to here the sing-song-like chatter filling the house, touching every dark corner and filling it with sickeningly happy light. Even the attic, which was used to being a serious place of work and action had come alive with the fairy-tale creatures that now inhabited it, curiously picking up carefully laid objects and putting them back out of place.

No-one would have a clue that this was a war gathering. More like a tea-party that'd been gate-crashed.

Piper, truley horrified at the mess that the creatures were making of her spotless house, wrathfully ploughed through the merry crowds, braking apart many a song and dance. Wherever Piper walked, a cascade of voices could be heard slinging childish insults at her.

"Grumpy pants!" Called a Leprachaun, performing a river dance which Piper interrupted.

"Party-pooper!" yelled an Ogre who had been bull-dozed from Pipers path.

"Heyuo, gimme my beer... I'm not sho think as you drunk I am..." slurred an intoxicated faun from whom Piper had confiscated an alcoholic beverage.

Piper's neck snapped to her right. She followed her ears to the crashing of glass that she'd just heard, and stood sternly before a group of Gnomes, who's arms were flailing about wildly. A sparkling cluster of Fairies were taunting them, buzzing around their faces like bees, and in their fury, the Gnomes paid no regard to Pipers fragile ornaments.

Piper took in a gust of air, preparing to yell over the cacophony of magical voices,"Hey! HEY! _Please_ keep _still, _you're going to... AH!" Mid-yell, Piper was whisked off of her feet by the magic carpet she'd been stood on, and she fell, quite roughly, into a herd of little gremlins, which immediately started to scamper up her face and entangle themselves in her hair.

"HEY! Stop that!..." She yelled, clawing at her head every time she heard a tiny, sharp chuckle. "Right, that's it! In this war, we're shooting _you_ out of the cannons!"

Piper stood up briskly and brushed herself off, grumbling.

"Well, this is the most threatening army I've ever seen in my life," a female voice, dripping with sarcasm, said, barely audible above the racket.

Piper whipped her head up, glaring, "quite harpering on like a... like a- a Harpie! You're supposed to be a Valkyrie! You know about all this war stuff!" Piper cried, having to push past _yet another _bloody Leprechaun who'd tumbled into her path, in order to look into the leather-cladden woman's steely eyes. "I'm putting you in charge. House-sit!"

The Valkyrie flicked her blond hair sulkily, but her eyes glinted with mischief.

"I'll get them under control for you," smiling crookedly, she began to take a deep breath, and when her voice was released from her soft lips, the sheer volume and harshness had the same affect as a fog-horn.

"**_QUI-ET_**!"

Immediately eyes turned her way. Songs and dances were halted dramatically, and laughter was sucked back into creatures lips. The furious sea of extravagant bodies became heavenly still, as the Valkyrie captured all attention, becoming a magnet for a multitude of eyes.

"Yeah," Piper yelled, clearing her throat. "What she said."

"Now, this is an _army gathering_. Not a high school prom! If you don't _act_ like respectful soldiers _here_, how do you ever expect to _die_ like respectable soldiers out _there_! Well, I'll tell you, you won't! You will die pathetic, fairytail creatures who never had any idea as to the magnitude of your situations; the magnitude of what's at steak! The way you're acting right now... well," she turned her away, as if disgusted, "it lets the entire world of magic down."

Piper thought that may have been over-kill, but right now, she wasn't complaining, since a state of complete and utter awed silence had stolen over the masses. She decided to take this moment to make a swift exit, calling quietly, "Paige?"

Xx

Paige and Piper orbed into P3, and Piper drew a breath. _Thank God_. She'd hated it in there! If she couldn't handle that, she was going to get one hell of a shock on the battle-field.

The others were sat in a booth in the club, drinking diet coke and chatting as if there wasn't about to be a major magical battle. To Pipers relief, Chris seemed to be doing a lot better than he had been doing after the incident (one incident among others, Piper thought sadly). Phoebe seemed to be keeping a watchful eye over him: talking to him in hushes; checking to see if he was alright. Phoebe had always been sensitive to other peoples suffering, so, to Piper, it was only natural that she should be feeling protective. She and Chris were sat together, Leo with them inside the booth. Paige resumed her seat, and Piper joined.

"So, is everything going okay over there? Because last time I checked, it was a riot. Mermaids in the bath tub, Gremlins on the stairs..." Chris remembered, chuckling slightly.

"It's getting worse. They're everywhere!" Piper moaned dramatically, stretching her arms in emphasis.

"But that's good, right? I mean, we need every person we can get. Although, it still doesn't seem enough!" Paige said, frowning.

"Oh no, there are more. On the battle-field. Seriously, it's like Glastonbury festival up there. There are a bunch of 'em casting masking spells, or trying to. The rest are waiting." Chris spoke with trepidation.

"For what?" Phoebe asked.

"Us. Or the demonic army. Whichever comes first." He said, not making eye contact.

"This has all happened so fast." Piper said dejectedly.

Leo put his arms on the table and leaned in, his face strong with leadership; not the type a king has, but the type of pride a royal adviser carries- full of wisdom, "That's how everything happens in our world. We're not withheld by the hyper-organised, controlling barriers that normal people are. In the magic world, things aren't organised as such. They happen. Because, in the magical world, they just can! They have the power to revolt against us on impulse, and we, in return, can quickly retaliate just as fast. This type of thing can be good, and it can be bad."

"Clearly." Paige mumbled under her breath.

Chris shivered. "That's why Wyatt was able to rise to power so fast. He just could. No-one had the power to stop him. The way I see it, the destruction of the entire world began in just one night. Then, it was only a few years before everything was in ruins."

The Charmed Ones didn't respond for a long while. It was impossible to comprehend a world like the one Chris spoke about with such a despondent, far away look, one that spoke volumes about what he'd had to go through, living in that kind of world. And, to the Charmed Ones, it was there doing. For not being there to stop it.

"C'mon Chris. You're here to stop that future from ever taking place. And you will. We trust you to do that with us." Phoebe said, putting a loving hand on his arched shoulder.

Everyone around the table was touched, but mainly surprized at Phoebes words and actions. It had never been vocalised at all that the Halliwells trusted Chris an inch. But, for reasons none of them could understand, no-one voiced disagreement. They just sat in a silence which was, for once, comfortable.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: **:-)

**Chapter Eleven**

The '_liers in wait'_. That was what Chris' cohort was called. The army had adopted the organisation of an old Roman one, and in this stance, Chris' cohort were the soldiers that stood, with mathematical precision, to the side of the fighting line, at the furthest point from centre position on the battle-field. Their jobs, and Chris', were to wait for the enemy to charge, and then attempt to swiftly infiltrate their flanks and take them down from the inside like a festering disease. This was the plan in theory; in practice, however, it would take a lot more effort. Each and every one of the creatures gathered had slowly come to the realisation that what they'd let themselves into was a mass suicide. They took the pounding of the wind as the last sensation they'd feel that wasn't pain; the cheerless sky, thick with clouds, was appreciated as the last sight they saw which wasn't the glinting of a sword, the scattering of a burning potion, or blood.

Gathered in the charmless fields that stretched for miles were thousands of the most amazingly powerful beings that the world had ever known, their bodies lined in hostile metal and their motivation admirable. And yet, here they all were, uncharacteristically awkward, trying not to meet each others uneasy gaze, for fear they'd break down and run. Chris himself, a man who'd been in many a fight such as this, was contemplating the idea himself.

Chris stood rigidly as the wind pummelled his back, as if taunting him, willing him to fall. They were faced this was on purpose, using the howling wind as an advantage, to guide and strengthen their arrows. They'd also been strategically placed to have the sun behind them, glaring into the enemies eyes; really, though, they needn't have bothered. Any hope of sun was lost behind the opaque clouds that sent shadows lurking at the soldiers feet. Some took them to be bad omens.

The scenery stretched on ahead of them, seemingly forever, until it turned grey and faded into it's bleak background of the Welsh hills. With this type of atmosphere and Chris' thoughts overwhelmed, Chris could almost forget about how Phoebe knew about his secret. The secret he'd fought so hard to keep, in fear not that the future would be harmed, but that he wouldn't be able to handle it. He barely handled the memory of the first time his powers went seriously awry. He'd killed his cooking teacher. Murdered her. And for the last 2 years that he'd had a normal life since then, being able to go to school, he had to sit in that very same classroom, near dying from the guilt. Of course, no-one could've known it was him who'd killed her. No-one except his family, who'd supported him through the memory, and the cruel way his father treated him since.

Someone in front of Chris grunted, and Chris was brought from his daze to, once again, feel the pounding of the wind and the freezing cold air that intruded his armour and chilled his entire body. Then a few more soldiers shifted. Narrowing his gaze to investigate what had caused the break in their so carefully organised position, Chris spotted Phoebe wrestling her way through the soldiers, who jumped back to where they were stood as if the ground around their designated area was as boiling as lava. Phoebe, dressed from head to toe in armour, and pulling it off surprisingly well, stood beside Chris and yelled above the thrashing wind.

"_Chris! Before we go in, I have to ask, and you have to answer! No more objections! I want to know how you're part of our family! I want you to tell me who you are!_" Phoebe yelled, her voice just reaching Chris over the war that nature was holding.

Chris shuffled uncomfortably in his own armour, focusing on nothing for a second other than the clanking noise he made when he moved his muscles. _It's time_, he thought. Of course, what was the point in hiding anything now? He sighed, the wind catching his breath.

"_I... I've not been born yet, but... I'm Piper and Leo's second son! Wyatts little brother!"_ Chris yelled, the words making him out of breath with the force it took to scream them. Phoebe didn't respond straight away. She stood, wobbling slightly, from... the wind? "_Phoebe? Phoebe, did you hear me_?" Chris screamed, his throat already raw.

Phoebe seemed stunned. Then, she suddenly jumped into Chris and hugged him tightly, their metal armour grinding.

"_Oh my God_!" She said, although Chris couldn't hear, for her voice was low and husky with emotion.

As if realising where they were for the first time, Phoebe let Chris go and quickly shoved against the soldiers and mother nature to get back to her position in front-line with her sisters, where the Power of Three would have the most potency.

Chris closed his watering eyes for a second, both keep the wind from sucking them out of their sockets, and to calm his rattling nerves. He'd not realised how scared he'd been of those words. But now, he'd said them. And she'd tell the sisters, Chris was sure of it. Maybe she was doing so at this very moment. Chris couldn't understand why his heart felt like it'd been twisted and his stomach had become entangled in the mess.

Chris' legs began to shake so hard that he feared he'd topple onto the wet, slimy earth. That would look good. Real fearless son of a Charmed One. Chris willed himself to calm down, but by now, he was worried about how much his legs were shaking, so violently it seemed to make the whole Earth rumble. Or... was it the earth rumbling itself?

Like slowly approaching storm clouds, realisation dawned, and the entire magical legion gazed down baffled at the ground, which was raging beneath them. And Chris _was not _doing it this time.

This was it. This was the moment where the men cast aside the fears that would hold them back, and became part if a united body that was so much bigger than themselves. All together. All with the same goal. All prepared to die for it. The battle had begun.

Horrified gasps began to ring out over the yell of the Earth, and Chris mutely screamed as, mere meters in front of his feet, the ground began to crack. The sound was ear-splitting. The crack slithered across the ground like a deadly viper, and branched out. All of the front flanks, the Charmed Ones included, were knocked to the ground , and metal ground against metal as Chris' fellow _liers in wait _fell into a mess onto the damaged dirt. Before them, the cracks began to shatter like broken glass, and a mass of dirt smoked from the ground as it fell in on itself. The smoke rushed out. The entire legion was consumed by it- plunged into instant blindness. Chris felt dirt fight it's way up his nose, into his mouth, and stab at his eyes like razors.

He managed to open his streaming eyes just enough to see a dark silhouette emerge from the chasm like a messenger from hell. It was too immense to view the creature entirely, but Chris caught disturbing glances of shifting scales, thrashing jaws and quick, fleeting eyes that scanned Chris' fellow legionnaires like it was deciding the most gruesome way to kill them. Eyes were wide with shock. They'd expected an army of demons and warlocks and all things evil... Not a single, brobdingnagian dragon! But Chris understood.

"_Harekat_." He growled.

Chris didn't even hear Leo give the word from way in front, but in an instant, the army was in the beasts pursuit, like children who'd been let out of school at long last (the obvious difference being that children didn't have spears and potions in their hands and murder in their eyes).

Chris became another piece of sediment in the fiercely rushing sea of metal, and he ran with his cohort to find the creatures blind side, resuming their jobs as _liers in wait_. Chris felt the air suddenly shift as Harekat swung it's giant neck over his head, _whooshing _like an unruly whip.

The toxic smell of blood and sweat was already suffocating in the air, but it was easily to ignore when, like Chris', your senses were completely overpowered by adrenaline.

As Chris ran, he was powerless but to watch in disbelief as Harekat's beastly form dove it's head into the centre of the supporting line to a cacophony of screams, and emerged seconds later, spitting the crimson blood that dripped from it's teeth.

Chris rooted his feet to the ground. He had to be stable. He craned his arm and flung a spear that he'd blindly grabbed into the musky air, standing to watch as it's stable path lead, surely, to... it ultimately bouncing, without effect, off of the creatures stony skin.

Damn.

His only long range weapon was gone.

Chris doubled over to cradle his aching arm, which pounded from the force he'd put into the almighty throw, letting bodies bash into him in the chaos.

In doing this, he momentarily lost focus.

Ignored the danger present.

Chris was blissfully unaware of the fact that soldiers had leapt away from him- unaware that he was now alone for a meter radius. He registered a millisecond of bafflement, before a shadow loomed over him, the weak sun switched off, and he was struck by overwhelming pain... lost... taken by utter darkness...

Xx

There was no doubt about it. Chris knew that he was dead.

Well, he couldn't complain. His life had never been the best. Why prolong it? And his end had been satisfyingly clean.

Death was strange, though. He could still hear the echoes of his last battle; the one that had been his end. He could hear distant, far away sounds of soldiers cries and cannons blasting, sending shudders through the Earth. He could also smell something... Something utterly disgusting! The fetid odour crawled up his nose, seeming to sink into his very skin and break out like a rash, which sent shivers down his spine.

Then it hit him. How can a dead person hear? Or smell? Or shiver...

...Oh hell...

Chris could remember the pain, the darkness, and then he remembered the flashing images of teeth like icicles, trothing, bleeding lips... He's been eaten! And he was somehow stuck. Inside Harekats throat.

Fantastic.

The first sparks of panic begun to flare dangerously in the pit of Chris' stomach (_wherever that is_, Chris thought faintly). His dry lungs filled with the thick, putrid air and he screamed hysterically. His hands were welded to the slimy walls and he could feel every movement; the walls became tight with every lift of it's head, and the entire atmosphere vibrated with every blood-curdling wail that the creature let out.

"_Phoebe! Paige! __**Piper**_"

The sound was oddly comforting. It was the only thing that sounded real; close.

As he struggled, he heard the distinguishable sound of metal grinding, and remembered his sword, still in it's sheath...

If he could just- reach it...

Oh. Yeh. Why didn't he think of that? The sword telekinetically whipped from its sheath at Chris' command, and... For one horrifying second, the beast opened it's galls to catch something in it's jaws, and gravity seemed to re-awaken, pulling him down with it's icy grip to an early grave.

But it was okay. He had the hilt of the sword.

With painful gradualness, Chris pulled out the sword, and felt a warm, gewy liquid creep down his hand and stream down his arm. Blood. _Harekats_ blood. When his sword was high above him, he mustered his might enough to slice down, and he felt sickeningly delighted to feel the sword pass through flesh. Light pierced through, slashing the darkness just as he'd slashed the beast, and again, Chris felt the stomach churning sensation of falling...

...Falling. Then, all of a sudden, Chris felt pain like lightning through his side and felt mud on his cheek, cold and reassuring. With painstaking effort, he dared to open his eyes a crack to see Harekat- the beast- thrashing and convulsing violently, it's entire body in a grotesque state of spasm. It's neck was streaming with a frightening purple liquid as poisoned water spits from a fountain, and was bent at a horridly acute angle. Eyes diluted in agony, the beast collapsed into a mutilated heap on the ground, and was instantly engulfed by the sea of silver flames which was streaming from the Charmed Ones bloody hands; the ones that weren't intertwined with each others. Piper, her face streaked with muddy-brown blood, caught sight of Chris sprawled on the ground, and she seemed to choke with relief through the strain of the spell that she was trying to keep up.

Sliding his hands in the mushy ground, Chris stood up. And brushed himself off. Like he always did. Sickening purple blood was mixing with his own, which seeped from the scars of where the beast's teeth had roughly grabbed him. He found it uncomprehendable now, to think he'd just been _eaten_.

Around him, bodies of the soldiers that'd been so brave, so chivalrous, were scattered about the ground, horrifically disembodied and torn apart, their bodies stiff in the positions they were flung. Chris gagged. This wasn't the work of a demonic army. This was one mans doing... And not the shape shifter. The Nightmare demon.

He was hiding.

Taking one last glance at the Charmed Ones, who were busy finishing off Harekat, Chris set off for the distance, where a dark figure stood, masked by clouds, on the top of a towering hill.

Xx

The Nightmare daemon had his eyes closed and his face directed upwards, where the wind could thrash it. He seemed to find the ferocious winds attack on him rather refreshing on his tightly drawn face, which was a mere mask of skin.

Chris, his steps hard and purposeful, strode towards him with malice afterthought that it was as if he was running. Without thought, he slashed his hands into the air, and three venomous snakes rapidly appeared with a slick sound from his palms, aimed at the demons throat. The demon whipped round, telekinetically swatting them away, harmlessly.

An angry yell left Chris' lips and he could feel stinging and taste coppery blood from where they had split. Regardless, he pushed on. Thrusting his fists up, as if grabbing the air, and then forcefully pulling down with a grunt, lightning struck the demon where he stood, awe-struck. Spasms shook through his body with the terrifying light. Chris was blinded, and he fell to the ground, vision blurred.

The demon, however, put an end to the electricity with a flicker of black smoke, and stood, as dauntless as he'd been before, as if nothing had happened.

"Owch," he acknowledged. Then, "Chris! How nice to see you again! It's always such a blast when you and I get together, is it not?" He said, his voice like a high pitched ringing in Chris' ears.

"Oh, this is just a drop-in visit." Said Chris dryly as he pushed a powerful wave of telekinesis the demons way, putting all his force into the torrent of power. The demon brought up a black shield, and Chris was knocked back by his own wave, the power hitting him like a train at full speed.

"You know, I was able to get the information that you withheld from me from a seer. She was quite expensive, but, no matter. What she told me was soo worth it..." The demons eyes flared madly, and when he spoke it was with a tone that cried insanity, "Your brother is so powerful! And the world he creates is so beautiful... _A living Nightmare_!"

Chris spat blood, "Don't get your hopes up. It'll never happen. I won't let it."

Chris' heart-beat was pounding excruciatingly in his head. That's why, as the demon brought a thick smoke to cocoon Chris, for a second, he thought he was dreaming. But he wasn't. He was trapped in a shell of smog that the demon controlled. As soon as he tried to gasp for air, his body erupted in shock-waves of harrowing pain and surprize. His throat constricted, and his sight went hazy. So, he acted on instinct, as he always did with his powers, which, to his knowledge, had no limit. In his chest, he summoned a light. He controlled it, felt it, as it's warmth spread through his body, hitting every organ and burning his heart. Until it burst out.

The demon, who'd been laughing sadistically as he controlled the ball of black energy that encased the boy, was yelling with a cracking voice, "See! You may have had will enough to contain your precious information, but, of course, you are no match for me! I am the Nightmare demon! I greet you in your sleep, I haunt you in your..."

His egoistic speech was never concluded. For at that moment, the floating dark cloud exploded with light. The demon barely had time to blink before his skin was ripped off of his face, for a second revealing his jagged skull beneath, which had been trapped under the gross film of skin for so ling. For less than a second, the demon was able to move his face muscles without searing pain. But in that same second, his scull disintegrated, and he collapsed, a mere pile of dust, to the ground. The wind rapidly swept him up, his remains scattering to the battle-field below.

Chris dropped painfully to the ground. He sucked in as much air as his weakened lungs would allow. He could imagine himself dying here; right now, with the other soldiers who'd died today. He almost welcomed it. All the heart ache; all the fighting; the mistrust; the lies. It hardly seemed worth it. Maybe if he just drifted off to sleep...

"_Chris! __**Chris! **_We're coming baby, hold on!" Chris heard Piper call, the wind no longer cutting off the sound of faraway voices. He smiled, his lips quivering. His mother was coming for him. Chris felt a little like a child at this moment, but what did he care? He was way to tired and hurt to think about being macho.

As Chris finally gave into the agonising mixture of pain and relief and began to close his aching eyes, his final glimpse of the scene was the battle-field, spread out below him, soaked purple with the super-natural blood, and lit up like a jewel in the light of the emerging sun.

"Hold on, son, we're coming..." Chris just registered Leo's broken voice, which was surprisingly close, before he could hear no more.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

"_May the object of objection become but a dream, _

_As I cause the scene to be unseen_"

As soon as Paige uttered the familiar words, the immense stretch of ground before her, spreading for miles into the distance, began to glow with a brilliant blue light. Broken bodies that had been cruelly discarded, left to rot on the muddy ground and half sunk into the sludge, became instantly awash in the light. The blood-soaked ground seemed to sizzle with it. And, when the light had faded, clean-cut grass, bloodless and boneless, was revealed.

Paige took a deep, fainthearted breath and hugged herself tightly. It was a reaction not only to the bitingly cold air, that sunk into her skin and froze her very bones, but to the sight that she'd so easily removed. So many lives had been lost. And each one would haunt her.

Would haunt all of them. Paige turned away, crestfallen, and began to slowly amble back towards the fire, where her family were sat, huddled together, willing the chill from each others souls.

Xx

Piper was sat on a log that'd been pulled close to the fire, and was leaned in, trying to catch some heat from the flames of the fire to drive the cold from her bones. She seemed to be mesmerised by the dancing flames before her; entranced. The truth of the matter is she was trying not to look beyond them. But she couldn't help herself. Sighing, she stole a glance. The creatures, who had become soldiers for a while, were sombrely chatting in hushed whispers, finding comfort in each other. Most were plastered in blood, which was drying crustily on their skin or in their fur. Many were crying for lost loved ones. That was why so many hadn't left to go home yet. They were saying good-bye. Leo and Chris were just finishing up healing the injured. Leo was sat healing a young water nymph who's knee was visible, cutting through her skin, and she thanked him profusely as he took away the pain and the ghastly sight.

Chris, having recovered well from being healed himself, began to finish his work, checking around to see if there was someone he'd missed who may have been hurt. Or maybe he was procrastinating. Soon, he began to amble over to the fire, and to his mother.

He approached the log and sat down, and when he spoke, it was without eye-contact. "Are you alright Piper? Any healing required?"

Piper was about to reply, when she realised, later than she would've liked, that Chris didn't call her mum.

"Erm... No. I-I'm fine."

Piper turned to her son and attempted to search for his eyes, but he was nervously trying to avoid hers, wringing his fingers awkwardly. Then, the events of the past few days were forgotten, and through the defeated wreak, Piper emerged, standing to yell.

"_Chris Perry Halliwell_, I have just found out that _I am your mother_! Now I am well aware that you've just busted your ass saving us, and that you've had it pretty rough lately... real rough..." She paused, emotion crawling into her voice, "but... But I am your mother and _God damn it _you _will_ look into my eyes and talk to me! I deserve that much at least!"

Exasperated, Piper glared into Chris' eyes, which were open wide and staring right back, before crumbling to his seated level and clasping his bloodied hands in hers. Tears mingled at the corners of her eyes.

"Chris... I just want to talk. There is so-o much that I don't understand about you and your life! You've kept it hidden for so long. You don't have to any more!"

Chris frowned and kept his lips clenched.

"Talk to me Chris..."

"Pipe... Mum..." Chris faltered for a second, and then found his feet and set them determinedly, "you don't have to worry about all of that. Please, _please_ don't. At least now you can really understand why I'm here. You couldn't before, but now you know it's personal. Wyatt is my older brother, and I'm here to stop him from becoming the worlds biggest prat. Well... I mean, there's only so much I can do. I can try and stop him being evil. As for his natural prattiness..."

Piper frowned.

"Ahem... Sorry." Chris mumbled, "but, you should be told before you have to learn the hard way. Wyatt _is_ a _bit of a_ prat."

Chris watched in amusement as Pipers frown slowly morphed into a grin. He laughed to see it.

Xx

Leo watched from afar as Piper, a broad grin plastered on her glowing face, threw her arms around Chris and they spoke through fits of laughter.

He smiled. Although it was still so strange for him. He'd had to try and completely change the light in which he saw Chris. He'd gone from the shiftily determined, sneaky White-lighter that had intruded his life, to the estranged son that had had to pretend to be aloof, even though it must've been so hard. Everything Leo thought he knew had been completely re-written. His head hurt. But when he looked at Piper and his son- _his son_- laughing and embracing, the fog in his mind became a little thinner.

"Penny for 'em." Phoebe chimed, startling Leo.

"Phoebe... You kinda spooked me there." Leo smiled, only taking his eyes off of Piper and Chris for a second, before resuming his gaze.

Phoebe followed Leo's line of sight, and suddenly smiled.

"You know, despite all the things I've said about Chris, I have to truthfully admit, you did good there. Or... you will do good. Or whatever."

Leo grinned, saying, "Yeh. Yeh, I guess I really did. He is a great kid. Has a lot of his mothers nature. Oh, Phoebe... My lack of trust for him blinded me all this time from seeing him as a person, but..." Leo sighed, and gave up.

"_But_, now you can start." Phoebe implored, poking him playfully, "and so can I. I've got a nephew to start getting to know. Personally, I'm not going to waste any more time."

Phoebe skipped down to join Piper and Chris, and joined them in their fervent conversation. Instantly, she was caught up in it; she was already laughing.

Leo watched Piper, Phoebe and Chris chat by the fire, when Paige slipped into his view. And there they were. His family. Leo wanted nothing more than to run down and join them. Even if he wasn't with Piper any more. Even if he had alienated his youngest son from him. Even if this situation was so bloody complicated that it made Leo want to yell un-Elder-like curses into the sky. So what?! These were problems for another day.

Leo fought the chill that came with a sudden gust of wind. Then, his attention was diverted suddenly to the signal that had become horrifically familiar to him. He was needed up there. From the volume of the sound, he could tell it must be urgent. _Damn,_ Leo thought, _the next big problem has arisen. So soon?!_

Leo glanced once more at his family, who were engaged in playful conversation. His gaze lingered for a second on his son, who was looking pretty bewildered to be in the situation that he was. Leo smiled, and sent himself upwards in a wash of blue light.

Xx

Xx

Xx

Xx

**A/N:** And that's that! Due to heat exhaustion and the dead end I've trapped myself in, the ending is very uninspired, so I'm really sorry to anyone who was hoping for explosions. I'm seriously all outta those.

I will definitely be picking this back up for a Part II, but for now, I want to enjoy the holidays. Please don't forget about this story. It'll continue!

Can I quickly thank the people that took the time to review (cheers to you guys!), in particular maria260686, who commented on every chapter with a 10/10! Thanks for scoring me so high!

All in all, for my first FanFic, I'd say this went alright. And that's thanks to the people who read it, so THANK YOU!

:-)


	13. Part II

**A/N: **Hi! I wasn't expecting to do a Part II, but I couldn't keep away, and it seems easier than writing a whole other story. So here I am! Back again with a fresh idea, that I hope you'll all enjoy! Updates will be considerably slower- in fact much slower- than my last ones. It had been my first ever FanFic and I was rushing! I'm a little more experienced now, so I'll calm it down... Anyway, please enjoy, and please, _please_ review if you can.

(PS: I should call this Chapter One, but I want to feel as if I've written loads, so Thirteen it is. It's a bigger number!)

:-)

**Part II**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Chris Perry Halliwell was making tea- Chris style. Upon the steady guidance of his hand, cups whooshed around the Halliwell Manor kitchen, clinking in the air. As they sat unsteadily down on the counter, tea bags shimmied out of their tins and fell lightly into the cups, and Chris poured the steaming hot liquid into them by hand. Meanwhile, a spoon transporting sugar on a tremulous path through the air wavered slightly, and part of it's contents was sprinkled into Paige's hair as she nibbled on her toast.

"Damn it Chris!" Paige whined, shaking her hair with vigour.

From the opposite end of the table, where Piper was reading a paper, she spoke absent-mindedly, "No sugar for me, honey."

Chris stiffled a chuckle at Paige, who was raking her fingers through her sugary hair, "Sorry. I wasn't looking."

Paige frowned, but a hint of a smile played on her cheek as she commented, "Chris, this must count as personal gain. And you know that when there's personal gain, magic plays up. So I'd stop this if I were you and let me have breakfast in peace!"

Chris scoweled through a smile.

"You're telling me that taking some slight short-cuts in making a few innocent cups of tea is _personal gain_, and will result in horrific consequences? Right. Sure, Paige." He scoffed.

Paige's lips and eyebrows both raised in a look that said,_ wait and see, you'll be sorry_.

The fridge door opened of Chris' accord, from the other side of the kitchen, and the milk obediently rushed over to Chris' awaiting hand, and he poured. It was difficult to believe that it had been a mere week and a half since the Charmed Ones had discovered Chris' identity during that hazy event that had been a war between good and evil. Piper was surprized, especially, at how easily he had sliped into the family unit. He had gone from the strange intruder who's motives they questioned, to a part of the family. And, for the sisters, it'd been natural to accept, and even be uplifted, by his more frequent and comfortable presence.

Chris poured the milk and began to stir it into the tea."Wow. I'm terrified. What if this milk blows up!" Chris commented, sarcasm dripping from his words. He was enjoying this new slot he'd found in the family. At least, more than he'd enjoyed being hidden away in the attic, flipping through the Book's dull pages monotonously.

Chris smiled to himself as Phoebe suddenly danced into the kitchen, laptop in hand, and sang out, "All my work is finished, and the problems of America's lovely citizens have been solved by moi! Take that Elise, you slave-driver!" She punched the air triumphantly, and then spotted the floating silver-wear. "Making tea? Chris, honey, could you make me one too?"

"Sure." Chris replied softly, and flicked his finger to summon another cup, a tea bag and another spoon of sugar. At that moment, however, the sugar spoon came to an abrupt hault, jilting in mid-air. Abandoning it's contense, it immediatley flew over to Chris, who was wide-eyed, and began to attack him, hitting his head sharply with the force of a bat.

"Aowch! Jesus Chr_- Owch!" _

Piper, Phoebe and Paige cracked up laughing as the boy winced and yelled, backing away from the killer spoon, which followed with a vengeance as he ran from the kitchen.

"I told you so!" Paige called out sweetly, between giggles.

The sisters continued their breakfast in companionable silence. This was the way they'd passed many a morning since 'the event'. 'That thing' with 'that dragon'. They were no longer stressed or on edge. No longer fighting for their lives (well, no more than usual anyway). Things had slowed down to there normal pace. Which was only a tad above average for your common, every-day wiccan family.

Then, all of a sudden, a crash could be heard from the living room, and the quite breakfast atmosphere left. An air of unease took it's place.

"Chris...?" Piper called, troubled.

More crashing. The sisters threw concerned looks. Instinct took over as the sisters each lept from their places and took off, heading for the sound of the commotion.

Piper came to a surprized halt at the living room entrance. Two demons were stood in the mess that had been the living room, where orniments lay in pieces and wallpaper smouldered like kindling. One stood rididly afar, and the other held Chris in a fatal headlock, in which he was trapped, choking and spluttering. Anger flared in Pipers eyes. She instantly raised her hands and _pushed_, and Chris' attacker erupted in deadly flames, his helpless scream dying with him. Chris fell to the floor in a wheezing, choking heap.

He wearily lifted his head. "Thanks!"

"Chris, _look out_!" Phoebe called as another demon aimed a dagger at Chris' back.

"Dagger!" Paige commanded, lurching foreward. In a washing of blue light, the dagger appeared in her hand. Unaware, the demon plunged his empty fist into Chris' side, and Chris threw a hand that sent the demon flying, and ultimately crashing into the cabinet behind him with a painful grunt. As glass and jagged wood lodged itself into the demons body, he was consumed by deaths fire, screaming futilely.

Phoebe ran to Chris to help him clamber unsteadily to his feet.

"What the hell did _they _want? I suppose it wasn't to murder me for the tea thing..." Chris grumbled, wavering slightly on his feet.

"Chris..." Piper started as she approached Chris, her face a mask of worry. "What is that on your neck?"

As Piper took her hand away from his neck where she had carefully placed it, she gasped to see it painted in sticky, thick blood. Blood which was streaking Chris' throat and face.

"Oh my God, Leo?_ Leo_!"

A tense filled pause- then, with only a seconds delay, Leo orbed into the room and walked briskly towards where his son stood, stuttering.

"What's happened?" He asked seriously, eyes widening at the blood.

Everyone began to talk at once, recalling their dim knowledge on events and wearily eyeing and fussing over the blood that was now trailing it's way into Chris' shirt. However as soon as he'd inhaled enough oxygen to regain focus, Chris yelled for attention.

"_Guys_! Hey, listen... Calm down, this isn't my blood! I'm fine." The sisters and Leo's heads whipped his way, their eyes demanding and explaination. Chris hastily obliged. "Didn't you see? The demons already had blood on their hands when they attacked. They were soaked in the stuff! But the blood wasn't mine."

"Wha..." Piper stepped back, bewildered. "Why were their hands blooded? And- and where'd the blood _come_ from?"

No-one had noticed Paige's absence since she'd drifted from the group whilst they'd been talking. They realised now, as Paige called, her voice strained and broken, from the hallway. Wearily, the others trailed to find her. And gasped.

Paige was wimpering softly. Her water-brimmed eyes were locked ahead of her and her face had turned a deathly white. Gradually, she raised a shuddering, pale finger, and pointed. Srawled on the wall beneath the staris was a message written in blood; blood which dripped from the carefully traced words to the sodden carpet. It read: **_Give Up Brother, Or Loose Them All..._** But this, surprisingly, wasn't the sight that immediately captured all eyes attention. Instead, all were glued to the mangled corpse that hung, knives pinning it in place, on the wall next to the words. Crucified. Her eyes were hallow with death and some blood still seeped from random, raw, rippings in her limp body. The sight was savage; barbaric. Chris' heart seemed to melt as he eventually placed the corpse. It was his beloved cousin- his last cousin- the one he'd sworn to protect from all harm like he'd failed to do with the others- Ruby Halliwell.


	14. Hello!

**A/N: **Hello!

I've posted the new Chapter of this story on the new book it's written under. I separated Part 1 and 2 because they're so different and the story was getting long.

The new one (which you can easily find in my profile as it's the only one there other than this one!) is called (wait for it...) _**"Not Yet Broken".**_

I know how bad that sounds. I suck at the names, as said.

:-)


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